Will apartment executive hiring pick up in 2026? Recruiters weigh in.

“Right now, across all asset classes that we hire for, we probably have six or seven development roles across our entire team,” McGuffin said late last year. “In 2021 to 2023, we would have had 25 to 30.”Development and dealmaking roles have been hit the hardest. Jim McGuffin, managing director and real estate practice lead at Chicago-based search firm Hirewell, who called the environment “choppy” in 2025, said those positions have fallen by 50% to 75%.Then, as dealmaking slowed and starts fell, executive h ...