New research unveils how real estate fund managers are navigating investor demand for transparency, rising operational costs, and increasing regulatory pressure
LONDON, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yardi and the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) have released a new report examining how the real estate investment industry is responding to operational pressures through technology, data and digital transformation.
Titled "The Changing Role of Data & Technology in Real Estate Investment", the research explores how fund managers are adapting their operations amid market repricing, rising costs, tightening regulation and evolving investor reporting expectations.
The report is based on in-depth interviews with senior leaders from 10 UK-based real estate investment firms, representing more than 40% of AREF's fund membership, alongside a targeted survey of executive and senior management respondents from a further 14 fund and investment management firms. Together, the research provides a representative snapshot of digital maturity and strategic priorities across the UK real estate funds industry.
Key findings demonstrate that data and operational efficiency remain the primary drivers of technology investment, with more than 60% of participants citing efficiency gains as the main motivation behind their technology strategies, while over 50% highlighted fragmented data and siloed systems as their biggest challenge.
"The report gives us a real insight into the perception of the real estate industry compared to a lot of the hype that we hear," said Matt Glenny, commercial and investment management director at Yardi. "Just 45% of respondents see AI as the biggest tech disruptor of the next three to five years, which shows the industry is not as confident of the potential of AI based on this survey.
"Although, 88% of respondents are trialling AI in some form to automate or enhance performance of manual tasks such as reading and summarising documents and automating meeting minutes. Predictive analytics and the adoption of AI agents are viewed as future aspirations rather than a current consideration," Glenny adds.
Additionally, investor reporting expectations are accelerating, with "more timely reporting" cited as the top investor demand by 26% of firms, positioning reporting and investor relations as key priorities for digital transformation.
Alongside the report, Yardi and AREF hosted a webinar with industry leaders from Savills Investment Management, Aberdeen, L&G Real Assets Equity, and UK Proptech Association to explore the growing divide in digital maturity across the sector. While some firms continue to rely heavily on spreadsheets and disconnected systems, more advanced organisations are investing in cloud-based data platforms and structured data foundations to improve governance, scalability and decision-making.
Gain deeper insights into how UK real estate fund management is navigating this period of transformation by downloading the report or watch the webinar on demand.
About the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF)
AREF stands at the forefront of the UK's real estate investment landscape. It is recognised by policymakers as the intellectual authority on pivotal industry issues, ensuring that its member-driven agenda consistently reflects the collective voice and interests of its community. Its commitment to enhancing investor outcomes is evident through strategic alliances with fellow investment associations, strengthening the UK's real estate market. For more information, visit aref.org.uk.
About Yardi
Yardi develops industry-leading software for all types and sizes of real estate companies across the world. With over 10,000 employees, Yardi is working with our clients to drive significant innovation in the real estate industry. For more information on how Yardi is Energised for Tomorrow, visit yardi.co.uk.
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