ATLANTA—If you ask commercial real estate gurus to spot the top trends in today's market—and look to the future of the industry over the next five years—you'll hear seven consistent themes. It seems we agree on something.

Talk of the aging US population and how the huge Boomer Generation will impact healthcare and housing is nothing new but it's unfolding right before our eyes and will play out for the next decade or so. At the same time is the rising generation of Millennials enter the workforce, the housing market, and make their mark on retail. With these two generations merging and the increasing diversity of America, there's also a growing cry and a conscious emphasis on diversity in the commercial real estate workforce. (Check out these developer predictions.)

Let's start with the Boomer generation. Robert Gibbs, president and CEO of Gibbs Planning Group in Birmingham, MI, rightly notes empty nesters transitioning into senior citizens is becoming one of the largest demographic transitions in US history. Just as Baby Boomers impacted every major market segment from bicycles, to autos, to colleges and the job market, as they age they are creating a perfect storm for the housing market. (Here's what commercial real estate investors are most concerned about right now.)