During a recent public discussion, Starck Builders LLC founder Michael Grunbaum has touched on the upcoming trends for the real estate markets in 2026.
With over 30 years in the industry, Michael has seen plenty of ups and downs and points out that any real estate 2026 predictions can’t be an exact science. However, he added, certain patterns tend to repeat themselves.
"Honestly? It's going to be an interesting year," Grunbaum said. "We've got interest rates doing their thing, material costs that won't sit still, and clients who are—rightfully—much pickier than they used to be."
Grunbaum earned his General Contractor's license back in 1996, armed with a civil engineering background and years of actually swinging hammers on job sites.
Asked on what is different about 2026, the Starck Builders LLC founder said that homeowners aren't just looking at square footage anymore as they “want to know what's behind the walls.”
"People have gotten burned by shoddy work," Grunbaum explained. "They've lived through enough home repairs to know that cheap construction costs more in the long run. So now they're asking better questions upfront."
The environmental angle has shifted, too, Michael added, explaining how five years ago, "going green" was still somewhat niche. “But now - it's standard conversation. People want to know about insulation R-values, they ask about the window ratings, they ask if the materials came from sustainable sources.” Grunbaum sees this as progress, not a headache.
Then there's technology. Project management software helps, sure. New materials perform better than old ones. However, Grunbaum is skeptical about the idea of skilled tradespeople becoming obsolete, as he said flatly, "You still need someone who knows what to do. An app can't tell you if a foundation is poured correctly."
Despite economic headwinds, Grunbaum is not pessimistic about 2026 at all. Good work still finds clients. Quality still matters. And people will always need places to live and work—they just want those places built right.
More information about Michael Grunbaum and Starck Builders is available on the official website.
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