AEW’s Mike Acton Says Fundamental Property Investment, Asset Management Essential

Nareit's REIT Report Podcast · Jul 30, 2026 · 11m

Mike Acton, head of research and strategy at AEW, told the REIT Report podcast that with interest rates remaining high, and likely to stay that way for some time to come, the next couple of years for real estate are going to be all about income growth.

That income growth is going to be generated through fundamental property investment and asset management, Acton said. That involves picking the right property in the right location, controlling expenses, keeping it occupied, being smart about capex, and having the discipline to sell it when it's time, he noted.

“These are all sort of old school…