The Age of AI in CRE Brokerage: What is NOT Changing (Part 2) 

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how AI is accelerating profound shifts within Commercial Real Estate brokerage – from democratizing data and supercharging prospecting to expanding the broker's role and even reshaping the broker-brokerage dynamic. It's clear that the landscape is evolving, and brokers are gaining new superpowers.

But amidst all this exciting change, there's an equally critical question to ask: what won't change? Jeff Bezos once said "I very frequently get the question: 'What's going to change in the next 10 years?' And that is a very interesting question; it's a very common one. I almost never get the question: 'What's not going to change in the next 10 years?' And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two -- because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time.

Fundamental truths about the role of CRE brokers will endure, and in many ways, become even more valuable.

The Indispensable Value of Moment-in-Time Expertise

One of the core functions of the CRE broker, which AI will not diminish, is providing "full-time expertise" for "moment-in-time" transactions.

• Cost-Efficiency for Companies: For most companies, it's simply not cost-efficient to maintain a large in-house real estate department with deep, real-time market knowledge across all geographies. Hiring a "Head of Real Estate" is a fixed cost for a need that is often episodic and infrequent until a company is very large and distributed. It's far more practical, and indeed economically intelligent, to retain a broker for specific transactions when needed – leveraging their specialized expertise. Even when companies are large, there is no way for a single Head of Real Estate (or a Team) to understand the local market dynamics in the markets a company operated within.
• Navigating Complexity: CRE transactions, whether sales or leasing, are inherently complex and unforgiving. They involve significant financial commitments, legal intricacies, and operational considerations that go far beyond surface-level data. Brokers are the on-demand knowledge sources who identify hidden risks, vet opportunities quickly, and ultimately save clients considerable time, money, and energy. This "consultant" role, as opposed to merely a "space finder," is irreplaceable. AI empowers brokers to become these consultants, leveling up their skill-set and capabilities.

The Information Business: Ideas, Insights, and Opportunity

As much as we talk about transactions, Commercial Real Estate brokers are fundamentally in the information business. And while AI is making information more accessible, it cannot replicate the human capacity for generating ideas, strategic insights, and discovering true opportunity - particularly when so much of a CRE broker's intelligence was generated alongside a client, making them first to information.

• Beyond Data Aggregation: Mary Ann Tighe, one of the world's most iconic brokers, once said "We are not in the transaction business; we are in the information business." AI can process data, but your capacity to create ideas around how deals can be done, where opportunities lie that others miss, and how to structure innovative solutions – that isn't going anywhere. This involves synthesizing disparate pieces of information, understanding unspoken motivations, and seeing connections that only a human mind, steeped in experience and relationships, can perceive.
• The Power of Off-Market Knowledge: On the investment sales side, it's often the off-market opportunities, revealed through deep relationships and trust, that yield the greatest value. On the leasing side, it's knowing the nuances of a landlord's motivation or a tenant's true long-term strategy. This qualitative, relationship-driven "inside information" remains a crucial competitive edge. Your ability to craft compelling narratives and structure winning strategies based on these insights is paramount.

Hyper-Local Complexity: The Irreplaceable "Boots on the Ground"

One of the most significant reasons why CRE brokers will remain central to the industry is the hyper-local nature of real estate itself. This isn't a federally regulated industry like finance, where processes can be easily standardized and software-optimized across the board.

• Every Market is Unique: Every city is different, every town is different. How rent is quoted, how lease structures vary, the local zoning regulations, the specific political landscape, the unique submarket dynamics – everything is distinct at a very local level. You cannot simply apply a uniform software solution or remote analysis to navigate these intricacies. AI is incredible at processing "unstructured data," so it will make much of this more understandable, but CRE markets are dynamic and often rooted in those who are first-to-information - information that oftentimes never touches software.
• The Need for Local Expertise: Even a Head of Real Estate at a massive global corporation relies heavily on local brokers. Why? Because you cannot possibly know the market in every given city in real-time and be fully responsible for critical decisions without genuine "boots on the ground" expertise. Brokers are indispensable because they live and breathe the local market, understanding its nuances, its players, and its unspoken rules.

Human Relationships and Trust: The Ultimate Competitive Edge

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the enduring power of human relationships and trust. As data becomes more democratized, the human element of connection, empathy, and skilled negotiation becomes even more valuable. If all services become democratized, the relationships trumps everything.

• Beyond the Transaction: Clients still need trusted advisors who can interpret complex data, guide them through difficult negotiations, and manage relationships with all stakeholders throughout the entire deal lifecycle. The "win-win" scenario might be the goal, but shrewd negotiation, backed by experience and understanding human psychology, is always the strategy.
• The Unquantifiable Value: In an increasingly automated world, the ability to build rapport, understand unspoken needs, provide calm reassurance, and leverage a network of trusted contacts becomes the ultimate differentiator. No AI can fully replicate the nuanced conversations, the hand-holding through a difficult period, or the intuition that comes from years of building genuine relationships.

The Future is Bright for the Modern Broker

For a long time, we've heard the refrain that brokers are going away, destined to be disintermediated. Yet, to this day, brokers still represent approximately 90% of the industry's CRE transactions. At Enaia, we believe that figure is likely to grow. Perhaps the greatest analogy is to point to the Bloomberg terminal, where greater data aggregation and user-connectivity didn't eliminate traders but transformed the very persona of what it means to be a trader, turning them into sophisticated, data-driven professionals. This holds true for CRE. This is why we at Enaia believe every broker should be seeking to arm themselves with the best technology possible and every brokerage should be committed to delivering the very best possible technology solutions to their professionals - even if that means scrapping legacy technologies that are met begrudgingly by brokers.

AI isn't here to diminish the broker; it's here to empower and expand their role. It will allow you to access and process more data, deliver enhanced services, and differentiate yourself through strategic marketing and even deeper client relationships. The industry as a whole is extremely well-positioned for what's coming, even if not every broker or brokerage is. Committed brokers should be excited about the expanded role they'll play in the future that lies ahead. The future is bright for the broker who arms him or herself with the intelligence and workflows these new technologies provide.

This supercharging of elite CRE brokers is exactly why we exist. It's why we embrace these advancements wholeheartedly–because we believe modern CRE brokers combined with powerful technology is an unstoppable combination that creates a better CRE industry for everybody.