One reason why the real estate industry isn’t prepared for the next downturn is simple: it’s already here. Anyone who hasn’t recognized the unprecedented challenges we’re facing simply isn’t looking. The truth is that we’re likely in for a long ride, and many won’t survive. Now is the time to address the cracks and innovate—or risk the worst-case scenario.

As someone who has spent over a decade in real estate technology (or PropTech), I firmly believe that the data at our disposal is vital for tackling many real estate challenges head-on. As in industries from finance to transportation, it’s worth collecting, compiling, analyzing, and using the information that reflects reality and can help stakeholders with varying levels of expertise navigate turbulent waters. If we are not leveraging industry-available data to improve operational efficiency and address market demands, then we are missing a critical opportunity.

From Wall Street to Main Street

Across the country, a stark reality is unfolding in the real estate landscape. From major players to the smallest stakeholders, real estate operators are grappling with escalating costs in a cash- and credit-strapped market.

We’ve been navigating a high-inflation and high-interest environment for a while now, and there are no signs of it letting up soon. The average 30-year mortgage rate has soared to nearly 7 percent, almost doubling the rate of one of the most popular mortgage options. 

Across all assets and markets, the real estate sector is feeling the squeeze, with rising operational expenses skyrocketing across the board and eating into net operating income. To put it in perspective, imagine a typical multifamily property that used to pay $5,000 per year for insurance. With a 28 percent increase, that insurance cost would jump to $6,400 per year. This $1,400 increase in insurance expenses directly cuts into the property’s profits—before everything else. 

In addition to insurance premium hikes, property taxes have spiked by 6.9 percent, utilities have experienced some of the largest year-over-year increases, and construction costs for new buildings, renovations, and repairs have risen by more than 40 percent since 2019. All of these factors chip away at profit margins that are getting slimmer by the day.

The average property management company is operating at an adjusted profit margin of just 6 percent. Even large management companies responsible for hundreds of units are barely scraping by with razor-thin margins. Smaller companies and landlords are equally feeling the pinch. One of the most resilient segments amidst this turmoil is single-family rentals, prized for their higher valuation per square footage compared to multifamily units. Yet, even this segment is not immune to the domino effect of escalating costs and diminishing margins. 

As a result of this market uncertainty, many firms and operators, both large and small, are now grappling with the need to secure emergency equity funding or collateralize owned assets to support a mezzanine debt facility to stay afloat. These disparities highlight the urgent need for expanded or more integrated data analyses and strategic partnerships to weather the storm.

Embedding innovation in real estate

Given today’s market challenges, a crucial question to ask is, how can real estate and property management companies continue to operate and thrive?

In today’s challenging real estate landscape, technology plays a vital role in addressing industry demands. As a PropTech founder, I’m admittedly biased, but let me lay out the practical and real-world potential. Technology enables data analytics and predictive insights to inform strategic decisions and optimize portfolios. When implemented thoughtfully, it streamlines property operations, covering everything from leasing and maintenance to rent collection, while providing resources and tools to enhance revenue stream creation.

Embedding smart technology optimizes operations by leveraging tools and data to streamline property management processes, enhance tenant experiences, and effectively manage costs according to current market conditions. A real game-changer for the industry is facilitating revenue diversification through innovative financial products like renters insurance and flexible payment plans. 

Innovative banking products offered by PropTech companies often yield higher returns than conventional multifamily management fees, demonstrating the viability of alternative revenue streams. Technology like embedded bank accounts can create operational efficiencies by automating the reconciliation process and provide a proportionately higher share of interest revenue, which flows directly to the bottom line for operators. 

Another banking solution is working capital lines, which provide much needed liquidity to operators when they need it most. These lines are typically underwritten off of cash flow, which is preferable to encumbering owned assets with another lien. Other companies are creating greater operational efficiency and providing much needed cash back on maintenance labor and supply purchases, which have materially increased between 2021 and today. 

A key advantage of PropTech is its agility in supporting customers to adapt to market changes. Because the operating system is sitting in the middle of extensive data insights, the right PropTech partner can put the pieces together to help customers read the tea leaves and plan an approach for both today and the future given market conditions.   

The downturn will not just affect the real estate industry, it will likely drag the economy down as a while. After decades of rent hikes, the cost of living is already starting to get out of hand for many renters. PropTech can allow property managers and owners to increase revenue without resorting to rent hikes on consumers that are in a similarly cash-strapped position. One way to do this is through resident benefits packages. These are accretive services that tenants find value in and are happy to pay for, such as insurance policies, positive credit reporting or a rewards credit card for paying rent. Rather than adding in random junk fees, offering these packages within the technology platform drives revenue for the operators while also helping the tenant. Each stakeholder is winning and the operator is making more money without increasing rent.

Most importantly, PropTech’s advantage lies in its agility in an industry often bound by tradition. Embedding tech solutions into business operations allows companies to swiftly adapt to market changes in a compliant, tech-affirmed way. This ensures that companies can attract a wider tenant base and remain competitive, optimizing both occupancy and revenue—an absolute necessity in today’s evolving landscape.

One thing is clear after years of market conditions negatively impacting stakeholders across the real estate market, thoughtfully developed PropTech offers a lifeline in these challenging times. Real estate operators can navigate the current economic storm and emerge stronger on the other side by harnessing data-driven insights, redefining revenue models, and fostering collaborative partnerships through the right technology platform. They can be more advanced in their use of data informed by clear, real-time reporting versus spending time and expenses maintaining fragmented systems that fight with each other. They can also rethink and redesign their business models around new services such as resident benefit packages or down payment alternatives.

As we face an extended period of market volatility and economic uncertainty, embracing innovation in real estate management is no longer optional—it’s imperative. PropTech isn’t just about technology, it’s about resilience, adaptation, and sustainable growth in an ever-evolving industry landscape. We have an excellent opportunity to engineer success with new methods and ways of doing business, forging a new era of innovation in real estate management to help our customers fortify NOI and build towards a prosperous future during these turbulent times.