I’ve been advising wealthy family offices on real estate for decades. This market requires another look at your 100-year plan

“The 100-Year Plan” is an investment philosophy often spoken of in relation to family offices. This framework allows investment teams the benefit of longer-term strategic thinking as they consider their allocations and portfolios. This gives them the ability to focus less on short-term financial constraints, and more on building and maintaining generational returns. It can also provide managers an opportunity to leverage market dislocations and distresses. So called “black swan” events do occur (such as environmental catastrophes and, of course, the acceleration of AI), implicating such longer-term strategies, hence the need for family offices to consider checking in on their investment thesis.  

Real estate is an asset class that is especially well-suited to the 100-year plan and has become a cornerstone of many family office portfolios. A 2025 report from Citi Private Bank indicates that between 10%-15% of all family office money is invested in direct real estate. The same report also found that among family offices with $500 million or more under management, real estate is one of the fastest-growing allocation categories.

A key challenge is that today’s market presents a more complex landscape. The office and retail markets remain in flux in many regions, and much of the nation desperately needs more residential development. Public-private partnerships are increasingly appealing to investors. Investing in specialized sectors like hospitality or healthcare provides interesting opportunities, but this requires expertise.  At the same time, uncertain pricing, increasing capex requirements, higher interest rates and tight credit markets are forcing many owner/operators to infuse cash into their owned assets. Some are looking to third-party capital sources to pay down debt on overleveraged deals and refill interest and capex reserves.

This can be good news for family offices, as they historically have lower leverage than traditional real estate investors and keep more cash on hand. Because of this, they are often better positioned to capitalize their own deals, providing their own rescue capital or investing in third-party deals on better terms. They can often hold through down markets until they recover. But these strengths also create an opening to reassess their long-term strategy and asset allocation, and to consider whether their 100-year plan still aligns with their goals.

As family trees expand, more stakeholders enter the conversation, and priorities can diverge. Some members may want to actively manage or grow the legacy portfolio, while others prefer to pursue different interests or build independent wealth. Many families have not had to actively invest in their real estate holdings for years, but now must do so. On top of this, the inherent illiquidity of real estate can complicate everything from governance to generational transitions.

When families begin reassessing their real estate holdings, the first set of considerations is almost always internal. What is the family’s overarching mission? What do different generations want from the portfolio? Do certain members need to divest if their goals are fundamentally misaligned? Because real estate is illiquid, family members also need to grapple with questions like whether to double down on existing assets, to diversify into new real estate or non-real estate investments, or to rethink how ownership and management responsibilities are divided. Questions around compensation may surface as well, particularly if some family members are actively involved in the family office and others are not. Tax implications, which can vary widely depending on structure and individual circumstances, add another layer of complexity.

Beyond family dynamics, investment strategy also requires fresh scrutiny. Families need to determine the right investment horizon now that some assets may have matured, as well as whether their current allocation still makes sense in the current market. They must evaluate appropriate leverage levels, decide whether it’s wiser to reinvest in their own portfolio or pursue new opportunities, and weigh the merits of buying, selling, or ground leasing. Cash flow priorities also come into play, as does the question of whether to participate as a lender or preferred equity provider. Finally, many families will need to analyze whether to invest alone or with partners – a decision that carries its own set of advantages and trade‑offs.

The 100-year plan is not just a tagline. It is a construct that gives family offices the mindset to ensure that their legacy portfolios are maintained for generations, allowing the beneficiaries the ability to individualize in a positive and supportive environment. With this goal in mind, this unusually turbulent moment may be the perfect time for family offices to make sure their plans still make sense and position them well for the next century.

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