Landlords across Europe face a stark choice: adapt to PropTech, or risk losing out. From digital asset management and flexible leasing to AI-powered analytics and tenant loyalty schemes, tomorrow’s returns hinge on the technological measures taken today.
“In the face of really extreme fear and threat, that’s when people will change,” says Lisa Picard, CEO of EQ?Office at Blackstone, highlighting the urgency for landlords to embrace "purposeful proptech" that drives engagement, cuts costs and boosts retention.
Start?ups like Opendoor and Casavo are transforming property exits with instant digital valuations, accelerating sales and freeing up capital, vital for landlords balancing portfolio liquidity in a volatile market.
Meanwhile, Mynd and Guesty are digitising the management of residential and flexible commercial spaces. Portfolios benefit from automated rent, maintenance, guest communication and dynamic pricing. That means higher satisfaction and lower churn rates, especially as tenants now demand hotel?style convenience.
Bilt Rewards illustrates the power of incentives. Their reward system for on?time rent payments enhances tenant loyalty, an idea now being explored by commercial landlords via amenity?based points systems to reduce vacancy and encourage long leases.
One often?overlooked opportunity: real?time performance insight. With machine data, voice analytics, sensor readings and predictive forecasting, landlords can now present investors and lenders with transparent, quantifiable usage and value projections—unlocking new capital and enabling smarter exits.
People mentioned:
Lisa Picard – CEO, EQ?Office (Blackstone)
Companies mentioned:
[Opendoor] – iBuying and instant property valuation
[Casavo] – European residential iBuyer
[Mynd] – Digital property management
[Guesty] – Short-term rental and flexible leasing tech
[Bilt Rewards] – Rent-based loyalty programme
Written by: Leon Goldwater
