According to a new survey from the global law firm Goodwin Procter, pension plans will remain the top source of U.S. real estate equity in 2012.

Based on what respondents told the law firm, capitalization rates likely will remain flat this year, too.

"More than 45 percent of respondents see recapitalization of existing investments as their greatest commercial real estate investment opportunity in 2012, followed by property acquisitions from third parties (29 percent) and distressed debt acquisitions (21 percent)," the law firm said in its summary.

The survey covered "a broad cross-section of real estate capital markets participants," Goodwin Procter said, and all categories of participants said that creating jobs is the key to an ecponomic recovery.