DALLAS—While banking is not disappearing, it's certainly transforming. Although the winds of industry change are not completely predictable, two key themes continue to dominate banking's real estate landscape in 2018: mobility and optimization. Branch banking continues to evolve, driven by customer demand for convenience. i.e., the ability to do business anytime and anywhere.

Banking institutions are accommodating this evolution, according to JLL's 2018 banking update. The report spearheaded by JLL's Dallas-based Walter Bialas, vice president, market research, highlights continued branch optimization by both large and small banking institutions, a feature reported last year that is still shaping the industry. Locally, as an example, the Dallas metro has gone from 1,812 branches in 2010 to 1,672 in 2017.

“As recently as four to five years ago, banks considered themselves successful if they had more branches than their competitors. Now, with mobile banking apps, which were non-existent 10 years ago, and the growing acceptance of online and mobile banking, the banking industry is trying to optimize to meet their clients' needs while increasing their quality of service,” Bialas tells GlobeSt.com. “We all knew it was happening, but I was surprised to see to the extent that it was happening. There is no market or brand that's immune.”