Another thing to look at, Nieman said, is to look the demographic shift of the workforce.

One other trend he pointed to is the global trend of reurbanization. "People are moving from the suburbs back to the cities."

Another interesting statistic Nieman pointed to was the overall sales in lifestyle centers or grocery anchored shopping centers, where restaurant sales exceed grocery sales. "Things are changing."

A few other things disrupting or changing the industry that panelists noted is temporary office space and rethinking the supply chain.

Switching gears, when Nieman asked panelists what they are currently seeking, Gino Sabatini, managing director and head of net lease investments at W. P. Carey, said that his firm is looking for long-term leases, 15 years or greater would be ideal, and somewhat weaker credits.

For panelist Gordon Whiting, managing director of Angelo, Gordon & Co., one thing that helps set his company apart is not shying away "from companies that we think are heading into bankruptcy or out of bankruptcy… We have local operating partners around the country and get to leverage off them to get real local knowledge."

Making quick decisions is key for Sabatini. "We are sourcing opportunities from all over the world. We are unique in our ability to act quickly in complicated transactions around the world."

What sets Global Net Lease apart, according to VP Brian Mansouri, is not where or what the firm buys, but how it buys. "The way in which we transact helps us stand out," he said. "We are nimble and are able to compete in a space that is dominated by a lot of private individuals. We are able to close quickly, move quickly and pay all cash. Those who are vying for those deals typically can't do that."

Stay tuned for more coverage from the RealShare Net Lease West conference, where panelists look more in depth at what deals are what deals are being made and where you should look next to succeed in 2016 and beyond.