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  • From data to AI in the real estate world

    From data to AI in the real estate world

    This is precisely why it is worth looking back. Because the way in which real estate is planned, operated and managed has changed fundamentally over the last 30 years.

    Thirty years ago, many processes were still surprisingly analog. Data was stored in folders and paper documents, decisions were based heavily on experience and less on systematic analysis. A phase soon began in which the industry developed step by step: processes became more digital, data more important, buildings and companies increasingly networked.

    It was in this environment that pom was founded in the mid-1990s as a spin-off from ETH Zurich – with the idea of integrating tasks, data and processes in the construction and real estate sector more closely. Thirty years later, pom is celebrating its anniversary and the basic question is still very topical: How can real estate, organization and technology be meaningfully combined?

    In terms of technology, we are now at a new turning point. The digitalization of real estate continues to advance: cloud technologies, IoT and digital models are enabling ever more precise mapping of buildings. The so-called digital twin is increasingly becoming a reality and creating new opportunities for automating processes.

    At the same time, the way companies work is changing. Artificial intelligence will change many processes in the coming years – especially where large amounts of information have to be processed and decisions still have to be made manually. Different data can be analyzed more easily, finished results can be generated automatically and decisions can be massively accelerated, even with the involvement of humans. Assistance systems, known as agents, are becoming part of everyday working life.

    At the same time, a look at the industry reveals an interesting area of tension: technological development is progressing rapidly, while implementation in companies is much slower.

    Every year since 2016, pom Consulting AG has measured the digital maturity of the construction and real estate industry as part of the Digital Real Estate & Construction Study. The Digital Real Estate Index currently stands at 4.3 out of 10 points – a slight recovery compared to the previous year, but definitely not a quantum leap.

    Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence is increasingly coming into focus. According to the latest study, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning is once again one of the most frequently used technologies, alongside Platforms & Portals and Data Analytics. However, the assessment of AI is much more differentiated than in previous years: Around two thirds of respondents see a high benefit in it. In last year’s survey, the figure was 75%. With more frequent use of AI, the possibilities of the technology, but also its limitations, are becoming much more visible, making expectations more realistic.

    Technology alone therefore does not determine success. The decisive factor remains the organization: data quality, implementation strength, clear responsibilities – and the willingness to question existing ways of working.

    Perhaps this is the real parallel to the last 30 years.

    Back then, too, it wasn’t just about new technologies, but about new ways of thinking. Artificial intelligence could therefore become the next big development step in the industry – not because it changes everything, but because it helps to better manage the growing complexity of real estate and organizations.

  • Artificial intelligence: Absolutely, but..

    Artificial intelligence: Absolutely, but..

    Whether the English “AI” or the German “KI” – artificial intelligence is currently omnipresent. How its impact is assessed depends heavily on the perspective of the individual: For some, the opportunities outweigh the risks, while others primarily see risks. However, one thing is undisputed: the technology is here to stay.

    For us as a digital real estate platform, an open approach to technological innovation has always been part of our DNA. With ImmoScout24 and Homegate, we have been actively shaping the real estate market for over two decades. Our principle also applies here: AI must not be an end in itself, but should act as an unprecedented “enabler”. After all, the true potential of these two letters lies in the accelerated development, smart expansion and enhancement of innovative products that can create real added value and achieve daily efficiency gains.

    In the professional real estate sector in particular, the benefits of AI can be seen in its productive integration into existing, established processes. While this enables us as platforms to develop market-oriented products in a more agile way, it creates new efficiency gains for brokers and property managers in their day-to-day operations. The decisive factor is not the technology itself, but its real contribution.

    Two examples from the SMG Real Estate ecosystem illustrate this:

    • Our AI-based listing text creation saves an average of 14 minutes per listing. Extrapolated to an entire portfolio or a marketing campaign, this results in a substantial gain in productivity. The time saved can be invested specifically where it makes the biggest difference – in consulting, negotiation and customer relations. Anyone who instead advertises on ImmoScout24 or Homegate as a private individual can use this new intelligent function to partially compensate for a lack of marketing experience.
    • The new “Insight Hub” for real estate professionals provides AI-driven answers to questions about the potential and performance of listings that were previously difficult to narrow down. Every week, real estate agents and managers receive an overview of the listings with the greatest potential for improvement, including specific recommendations for action and the expected increase in visibility.

    This is just a small excerpt, plus numerous current developments at SMG Real Estate, including “Agentic AI”, a digital companion for real estate professionals in their day-to-day work – from the transcription of meeting notes to seamless CRM integration. But more on that in the near future. At the same time, technological innovation requires continuous investment – especially in cybersecurity. After all, it’s not just the right players who benefit from AI. State-of-the-art protection mechanisms, two-factor authentication, integrated access controls, etc. are essential to secure data and effectively prevent attempted fraud. Trust remains the central currency in the real estate market – especially in the digital one.

    But thanks to these targeted, ongoing investments in AI applications, we at SMG Real Estate are actively continuing to shape our role as the “digital shaper” of the Swiss real estate industry. Our goal is and remains first and foremost to make real estate professionals not only more efficient, but also more successful in the long term. This is also what our vision stands for: “Next-Gen Swiss Real Estate – digital and simple.”

  • Real estate management in transition

    Real estate management in transition

    We experience it every day: real estate management is changing rapidly, noticeably and sometimes surprisingly. What used to be primarily administration is now a complex interplay of strategy, technology and relationship management.

    The demands of all those involved have increased enormously in recent years. Owners expect transparent reports, comprehensive reporting and support with sustainability issues. Tenants want digital services that work at all times, fast responses and a high degree of flexibility.

    At the same time, everything should become more efficient, more sustainable and more data-based. Modern tools make many things easier. They help to optimize processes and make better decisions. But they do not replace what is at the heart of our work: human contact. Especially when it comes to communication, conflicts or complex issues, experience, empathy and intuition cannot simply be replaced by AI.

    What is also striking is that the shortage of skilled workers is hitting our industry harder than people often want to admit. People with expertise in digital transformation or sustainability are rare. And those who do find them are struggling to keep them. All too often, there is a lack of development opportunities or real incentives. Yet motivated and well-trained employees would be the key to really shaping change instead of just chasing after it.

    Although many people talk about digitalization, in practice there are still far too many manual processes, Excel spreadsheets and interfaces that do not communicate with each other. The will is there, but implementation takes time, money and sometimes courage. After all, not every digital solution immediately brings the desired benefits and not every process can be easily automated.

    Despite everything, change offers great opportunities. If we manage to use technology in a targeted manner, promote talent and understand the human factor as a strength, then real estate management can still gain a lot in terms of efficiency, quality and attractiveness as a professional field.

    One thing is certain: those who combine innovation and empathy will remain fit for the future. Because in the end, it is not systems or tools that create value, it is the people who bring them to life.

  • Promoting ownership instead of preventing it

    Promoting ownership instead of preventing it

    Switzerland is and remains the land of tenants. For many, the dream of owning their own home is receding further and further into the distance. Rising prices, higher interest rates and stricter mortgage regulations have made home ownership unattainable for broad sections of the population. Young families and people on middle incomes in particular are increasingly failing to overcome the hurdles of the system. Yet home ownership is much more than a status symbol. It is a form of retirement provision, a contribution to personal responsibility and stability in an increasingly uncertain time. Living in your own four walls saves costs in the long term and reduces the burden on the pension system.

    The abolition of the imputed rental value is therefore not a dam break, but a necessary door opener. It puts an end to an injustice in which fictitious income is taxed that does not actually exist. The criticism that this would create “tax loopholes” falls short of the mark. It is crucial that the reform is implemented with clear and fair rules.

    Will this turn Switzerland into a country of privileged owners? No, on the contrary. Only by reducing the imputed rental value will we create the conditions for more people to take the step into property ownership in the first place. The goal must be: property for the many instead of privileges for the few.

    Support yes, nationalization no
    The primary goal of a sensible housing policy must be the creation of suitable and affordable living space. However, the state cannot achieve this alone. Public building authorities are often cumbersome, inflexible and expensive. In cities such as Zurich, it can be seen that increasing nationalization of the housing market is leading to bottlenecks and an artificial shortage.

    We need private developers who can react quickly and efficiently to the needs of the population. The task of the state is not to build itself, but to create the right framework conditions: faster approval procedures, flexible conversions and planning that allows rather than prevents innovation.

    A modern instrument would be a change in the system of state housing subsidies. Away from subsidies for buildings and towards housing vouchers for people who actually need support. In this way, help can be targeted to where it is needed without distorting the market.

    How much government does the real estate world still need and how much market can it tolerate? The answer is simple: the state should set frameworks, but not build walls. It should create incentives, not block them.

    Looking ahead
    The abolition of the imputed rental value is not an isolated step, but part of a larger development: towards more personal responsibility, fair opportunities for tenants seeking ownership and a functioning housing market based on trust and innovation, not bureaucracy.

    Whether this becomes the first domino for further tax relief depends on political will. But one thing is certain: those who want to strengthen people in their own four walls are strengthening the foundations of our country.

  • Brokers of the future

    Brokers of the future

    The real estate world is facing an epochal upheaval. While traditional estate agents were once the undisputed mediators between supply and demand, the balance of power has shifted radically in recent years. Digital marketplaces dominate the initial contact, control visibility and are increasingly beginning to intervene in the transaction process itself.

    This is particularly evident in the example of large platforms such as SMG. With price increases, an aggressive data policy and the integration of their own tools, they are transforming themselves from a pure listing platform into an all-encompassing transaction platform. Brokers, who previously acted as independent consultants and market experts, are thus being forced into the role of pure suppliers, becoming dependent, restricted and interchangeable.

    The problem goes deeper than just rising costs or reduced margins. It is a system change, platforms are hoarding data, prioritizing content according to their own rules and shifting the customer relationship away from the broker and towards themselves. This threatens to turn the real estate industry into an “Uber model”. Agents are becoming service providers without direct access to customers, while platforms skim off the added value.

    Does this mean that the estate agent profession has had its day? No, but it does need to reinvent itself. The future of the estate agent no longer lies solely in access to buyers and sellers, but in building trust, advisory expertise and individual support. Particularly in an increasingly complex market, characterized by regulatory changes, tax issues and high investment volumes, clients are looking for personal expertise, reliability and discreet support.

    However, the sector must take active steps to avoid being marginalized. This includes:

    • Maintaining independence: Diversifying insertion strategies, promoting alternative platforms and not relying exclusively on monopolists.
    • Use technology instead of fearing it: Build your own digital tools, strengthen customer proximity instead of handing it over to third parties.
    • Networks and cooperation: Industry initiatives and collective action can reduce dependence on platforms.
    • Customer centricity: Clearly communicate the added value of personal advice – from valuation to emotional support in buying and selling processes.

    The broker of the future is not superfluous, but more necessary than ever as they evolve from pure intermediary to strategic advisor, data interpreter and trusted partner. Those who do not seize this opportunity run the risk of becoming irrelevant in the digital world.

    The decision lies with the industry itself, resignation or redesign.

  • The profession of location promoter requires explanation

    The profession of location promoter requires explanation

    It is not yet possible to learn the profession of location promoter. However, since the mid-1980s, there have been contact points for economic and commercial matters at local city and even municipal level – formerly known as economic development. In the 1990s, the Winterthur region was known as a pioneer, not least after the decline of industry there.

    So from 1998, as the first location promoter and head of building construction for the city of Schlieren – alongside the cities of Winterthur and Zurich – I was literally out there alone in the wind. However, the real estate backpack I had acquired since 1981 and my MAS Real Estate Management, which I was also one of the first to complete, enabled me to do the balancing act in the niche segment of location promotion. The classics in the job of a location promoter include company relocations, cluster and site development, “one-stop shopping” by the administration for building permits, portfolio management and startup promotion, as well as much more.

    In Switzerland today, primarily each of the 26 cantons has a location promotion program. Unfortunately, not all of the 172 cities and municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants have a location promotion office, let alone an economic strategy. There, an internally appointed person in the administration is responsible. In most cases, this is the town clerk or, at most, the president of the town or municipality, more or less voluntarily and not specifically trained for this purpose. However, this also means that I greatly appreciate these municipal management bodies, as well as those of the town of Schlieren, where I can now look back on 28 years of service. Schlieren’s key figures show a very successful picture that is recognized by many parties. The number of legal entities in the town has increased by 100% since 1998, from 650 to 1,388. This also means an increase in jobs from around 12,000 to 21,000. The number of inhabitants has risen by 70% from 12,000 to 20,100. Here I represent the 1:1 situation (inhabitants in relation to jobs) in contrast to other well-known large Swiss cities.

    I would be delighted if, after my retirement, more real estate experts chose the profession of location promoter and also became involved in associations, ERFAS and networks. What is needed is trust in the local location promoters.

  • Terminating a tenancy: Between arbitration, extension and eviction

    Terminating a tenancy: Between arbitration, extension and eviction

    Arbitration hearing Termination of rental apartment
    If the landlord terminates the rental apartment, the tenant can contest the termination with the conciliation authority within 30 days of receipt and request an extension. If the parties cannot agree on a settlement, the conciliation authority can submit a proposal for a decision or issue the tenant with authorization to file a complaint with the tenancy court.

    Extension of the tenancy
    If the termination is valid, the conciliation authority usually proposes an extension of the tenancy for a maximum of four years for residential premises. Art. 272a of the Swiss Code of Obligations stipulates when an extension is excluded. In addition, the Federal Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that the tenant must provide evidence of concrete efforts to find a replacement property before the arbitration hearing. Without concrete search efforts, there is no entitlement to extension.

    In the case of a final extension, the tenancy ends definitively and no further extension is possible. On the other hand, the tenant can request a second extension up to 60 days before the first one expires. If the landlord wants a final extension, this must be explicitly stated in the agreement, otherwise a first extension applies.

    Expulsion order
    If the parties agree on a definitive move-out date, the landlord should insist on an expulsion order in the settlement. This allows the landlord to request expulsion directly from the municipal authorities if the tenant does not move out on the agreed date.

    Recommendations for landlords
    If an extension is ruled out, it may still make sense for the landlord to grant a short final extension. This can avoid lengthy court proceedings with a corresponding “cold extension”. In an agreement, the landlord should ensure that a last extension is clearly formulated and insist on an expulsion order.

  • How the tenants’ association is sabotaging housing construction

    How the tenants’ association is sabotaging housing construction

    At first glance, the tenants’ association’s initiative, for which the collection of signatures began on June 3, 2025, sounds like a good thing: lower rents, more protection for tenants, more say. But if you don’t allow yourself to be dazzled by fine-sounding titles, you’ll realize that this initiative combats symptoms – and cements the causes.

    Of course, rising asking rents are a real burden, especially in urban centers. But the impression that this is a conspiracy on the part of landlords falls short of the mark. The figures are clear: according to the Federal Office for Housing, there is an annual shortage of up to 10,000 apartments – with a simultaneous increase in households of around 50,000 units. The fact that asking rents are rising is not surprising – it is the result of growing excess demand.

    And this is precisely the problem with the initiative. It wants to correct pricing administratively instead of eliminating the structural bottlenecks on the housing market. Capping yields may seem popular in the short term, but in the long term it deprives residential construction of important investment incentives. Private investors – including pension funds and insurance companies – are currently responsible for a large proportion of new construction activity. Curtailing their profitability scares off capital and risks a further shortage.

    The myth of the yield-hungry investor is a false one. More than half of rental apartments in Switzerland belong to pension funds, insurance companies or pension schemes – in other words, ultimately to the population itself. Anyone who cuts their returns is jeopardizing our retirement provision. The housing market is not a playground for socially romantic experiments, but a complex system that has to reconcile supply and demand. Anyone who undermines this mechanism is not solving any problems – they are exacerbating them.

    The right of first refusal for non-profit housing is also tricky. It effectively means expropriation with a bureaucratic detour – and a further step towards a state-controlled housing market. I warn against this: such an intervention may be ideologically motivated, but in practical terms it will mainly result in delays and inefficiency. Non-profit housing construction is justified, but it is no substitute for the market-driven volume that we urgently need.

    Instead, we need realistic solutions. SVIT Switzerland has formulated 20 specific demands in its housing agenda: faster and coordinated approval procedures, a reduction in objections, promotion of redensification and space-efficient housing. Tenancy law itself must also become more differentiated: It protects existing tenants too much and not enough those who are urgently looking for an apartment. This is neither fair nor efficient.

    In short: the housing shortage will not be solved by more regulation, but by more apartments. Anyone who hinders new construction, whether out of ideological conviction or a false sense of justice, ultimately only widens the gap between supply and demand – and thus harms the very people they claim to be protecting.

  • Perspectives and insights from leading minds in the real estate industry

    Perspectives and insights from leading minds in the real estate industry

    The real estate industry is facing dynamic challenges: from regulatory adjustments and digitalization to issues of sustainability and the shortage of skilled workers. At the same time, there is a growing need for well-founded opinions, practical insights and guidance.

    With the new immo column on immo-invest.ch, we are creating a space for specialist knowledge, experience and discourse. In regular contributions, experts from various areas of the industry share their views and provide valuable input.

    Diverse topics for a networked industry
    The immoColumn covers the entire spectrum of the real estate world, including:

    • Construction, management and planning/development
      Key topics such as construction processes, sustainable management and new utilization concepts
    • Finance, building technology and energy
      From financing issues to energy efficiency and pioneering building technologies
    • PropTech/digitalization and marketing
      Digital innovations, new marketing approaches and smart processes
    • Mobility/transport and location promotion
      Stimuli for regions and new opportunities for mobility and accommodation
    • Public sector, associations and suppliers
      Political framework conditions, interest groups and partners along the entire value chain
    • Sellers/brokers, advertising and suppliers
      Players who shape the market and support it with innovative products and services

    With this thematic diversity, we want to reflect the perspectives from all areas of the real estate industry and make a contribution to further development.

    Who writes?
    The columns are written by leading figures in the real estate industry, personalities who enrich the industry with their experience and knowledge. They are exclusively C-level executives or individuals with comparable levels of responsibility who provide practical perspectives.

    The immoColumn appears regularly on immo-invest.ch and is distributed via our channels such as the immoNewsletter, LinkedIn and within the framework.

    Do you have a topic that moves you? Or would you like to make a contribution yourself? Please feel free to contact us!