Technology: STDB’s CRE Performance Index Adds 12-Month Forecasting

The CCIM Institute continues to strengthen its technology offerings with the latest integration of the Commercial Real Estate Performance Index into Site To Do Business (STDB). Built by CCIM Technologies, this new tool brings forward-looking market intelligence directly into the platform members rely on every day for analysis, site selection, and decision support. With this latest integration, one click inside Site To Do Business allows members to open the dashboard and view a structured, multi-tab forecasting tool designed to be both powerful and easy to interpret, giving CCIMs a clearer, faster way to connect economic signals to real commercial real estate outcomes.  

In a recent webinar, CCIM instructor and CCIM Technologies board member Mark Cypert, CCIM, walked members through the latest addition. Cypert highlighted five core components: a summary of economic indicators updated monthly, a breakdown of the variables driving the model, a property forecast tab projecting vacancy, rent, and cap rate movement by property type, summary tables that compare baseline, optimistic, and pessimistic scenarios, and performance insights that identify leading and lagging sectors for the next 12 months. Cypert also mentioned that a metro-level version of the Index forecasting is in beta, with the goal of expanding STDB’s predictive power beyond national trends and into localized market outlooks. 

The forecast includes ten leading economic indicators that are weighted and modeled to anticipate shifts in market conditions, giving users innovative insights. These include measures such as consumer sentiment, business confidence, the yield curve, housing market strength, inflation metrics, labor force trends, the stock market, and the Green Street Commercial Property Index. Together, they form a single index that has been back-tested and shown to align closely with past market cycles.  

Cypert also explained the modeling approach behind the tool, emphasizing its practical value for CCIMs working with clients. The index indicators are first weighted through stepwise regression, then refined using a forest machine-learning model to improve predictive accuracy. The result is a forecast that does not feel like a black box. Instead, members can show clients the specific economic drivers behind each projection, which helps build credibility and makes market conversations more interactive.  

With the CRE Performance Index now integrated into Site To Do Business, The CCIM Institute is delivering another meaningful upgrade to its most powerful member tool. This dashboard equips CCIMs with a clearer view of near-term market direction, deeper insight into property-type performance, and stronger data to support client strategy.