The commercial real estate market is heating up fast, with investment up 37% year over year in Q1 2025. In response, firms have more pressure to find deals, raise capital, and outperform the competition. To stay ahead, they’re leaning on software tools in what could become a $34.6 billion wave of CRE tech adoption by 2033.
Here’s a look at some of the tools helping CRE firms work smarter, move faster, and grow at scale.
What are commercial real estate tools?
Commercial real estate tools help investors work smarter across every phase of an investment, from identifying opportunities to managing assets and reporting to stakeholders. These solutions help investors:
- Find more deals
- Stay ahead of the competition
- Raise capital faster
- Streamline operations
- Save time on manual tasks
- Maximize ROI
- Make faster data-driven decisions
Top commercial real estate tools by category
The list below includes our top choices for commercial real estate software in several different categories.
Investment management platforms
Managing investors requires speed, transparency, and structure. Investment management software is a purpose-built platform that helps firms track investor data, raise funds, and communicate performance effectively. Key features include:
- Commercial real estate CRM to manage investor relationships, data, and communication.
- Investor Portal that provides access to investment details, project returns, and operational updates.
- Distribution management to automate investor payments.
Top platforms are:
Agora
Agora provides a complete solution built specifically for the investment management needs of commercial real estate investment firms. The platform receives high recognition from peer review sites like G2 and from publications including Business Insider, Forbes 30 under 30, and Globe’s most promising startups.
Agora stands out for:
- Structure flexibility: GPs can leverage the platform for syndications, open-end funds, closed-end funds, debt funds, fund-of-funds, TICs, parallel funds, and other complex structures.
- Customized waterfalls: Agora’s waterfall automation tool allows firms to easily build and manage even the most complex distribution waterfalls. It supports over 200 use cases, giving GPs the flexibility to meet both current and future needs.
- Professional reporting: Easily generate investor reports with ready-made templates, then customize them with your own branding.
- Integrated accounting services: Firms can streamline operations with Agora’s end-to-end accounting, including bookkeeping, reconciliation, tax returns, and faster delivery of investor K-1s.
- Onboarding support: Get white-glove onboarding from a customer success manager, along with unlimited training and ongoing support.
Janover Connect (formerly Groundbreaker)
Janover Connect focuses primarily on fundraising and investor reporting. It stands out for:
- Deal management software to support smaller and medium-sized firms.
- Janover Engage, a marketplace that connects firms with verified investors.
Juniper Square
Juniper Square is an investment platform that supports private market capital partnerships. It provides:
- Serves several asset classes like private equity, venture capital, and real estate.
- Fund administration services for fund accounting and financial reporting.
Property management software
Organizations that manage the daily operations of rental real estate depend on comprehensive property management software to stay organized and efficient. These tools streamline processes with features like:
- Tenant and lease tracking
- Rent collection
- Accounting
- Document storage
- Communication tools
Some of the top tools include:
CRESSblue
For real estate professionals managing net lease commercial properties in office, retail, warehouse, or industrial, CRESSblue offers:
- Lease abstraction and management to track lease terms, dates, and financial obligations.
- Automated Common Area Maintenance (CAM) reconciliation for recovering shared property expenses from tenants.
AppFolio
In multifamily and other commercial real estate asset types, AppFolio provides operational support through:
- Property accounting and rent payment processing.
- Maintenance and asset management to support service requests, vendor coordination, and property inspections.
Self Storage Manager
Investors who own self-storage assets rely on a management and data platform like Self Storage Manager to handle daily operations. Key capabilities include:
- Integrated CRM for prospective and current tenant contact management.
- Digital tools to support online presence, like property websites, social media marketing, and payment processing.
Deal sourcing and marketplace platforms
Marketplace platforms give you comprehensive commercial real estate data about various properties available for sale or lease.
Crexi
Crexi’s platform aids in finding deals and managing the entire transaction process. It provides property details on opportunities for sale, lease, or auction. The tool also includes an end-to-end workflow around deal management for buying properties.
Loopnet
This marketplace integrates with CoStar to provide comprehensive data on properties and sales comps. Investors use it for commercial real estate research and marketing, with filters and categories that make it easy to sort and share property data.
SquareFoot
SquareFoot is a marketplace specifically for commercial office space that connects prospective tenants with landlords or brokers. It takes a tenant experience approach and provides concierge services and support throughout the leasing process.
Marketing and lead generation tools
The following tools can help commercial real estate teams find buyers, clients, or tenants:
SharpLaunch
This platform helps CRE professionals increase sales leads and occupancy rates with a full suite of tools, including property websites, email marketing, social media posts, and analytics.
Matterport
Matterport helps CRE agents, property owners, and investors create immersive 3D virtual tours of commercial real estate spaces. This tool also provides powerful analytics on viewer interactions.
Virtual Staging AI
This solution uses artificial intelligence to virtually stage spaces with furniture and decorations, helping buyers or tenants visualize themselves in the space.
Data analytics and market intelligence
Key players in the commercial real estate data space include:
CoStar
This data platform delivers advanced analytics and market intelligence for CRE teams and investors. It includes tailored reports and visualizations on assets or entire markets to support informed decisions. Predictive analysis capabilities help model potential scenarios based on market trends.
Reonomy
Reonomy provides property intelligence, ownership data, and advanced analytics for CRE teams. It combines data from public and proprietary sources across the U.S., covering property owners, transactions, and companies.
Real Capital Analytics
Real Capital Analytics is a CRE business intelligence platform that tracks property data and market intelligence across all of the major asset classes, including office, industrial, retail, multifamily, hotels, and development.
Financial modeling and analysis software
Making decisions about potential investments and their future potential is easier with analytics tools like:
ARGUS Enterprise
This software helps real estate professionals assess property values, forecast cash flow, and create detailed financial models. It allows for an investment analysis of an individual property or a complete portfolio for ongoing strategic decision-making.
Valuate by REFM
Valuate by REFM helps CRE teams quickly analyze property values and create financial models. It allows testing of different scenarios and the ability to share results with all stakeholders.
The AnalystPro
This tool pulls in different data sources to help analyze properties, compare leases, and create financial models. It also generates professional reports, offering memoranda and brochures to help market investment deals.
Specialized tools enhancing CRE operations in 2025
Increased competition in 2025 also drives firms to adopt specialized tools like:
Investor relations and reporting solutions
Agora’s platform gives you insight into both current and potential investors, helping you communicate more strategically and effectively. It allows you to segment investors by type and interest so you can tailor your messaging to what matters most. As a result, your outreach and updates become more relevant and personalized, helping you build stronger, long-term relationships.
The software also simplifies reporting with a range of customizable templates using your branding, making it easy to generate professional reports with just a few clicks.
Document management and e-signature platforms
Raising capital involves many steps, and the right software can improve your chances of success by creating a seamless investor experience. Agora offers powerful and secure document management tools that help you collect investor information, store it centrally, and verify that the right people have access at the right time.
The platform’s intuitive onboarding and subscription workflows include features like the smart questionnaire, which makes it easy for investors to complete the process, sign documents, and finalize commitments with minimal friction.
Virtual tour and visualization software
A report from the National Association of Realtors found that about 80 percent of consumers watch videos online each week, and nearly half say a video influences their purchase decisions. The same applies in real estate, where video helps people research and evaluate options more effectively.
Virtual tours and staging make listings more engaging by helping people picture themselves or their business in the space. Matterport enables users to create immersive 3D tours that demonstrate the layout and flow of a property in a realistic way. Virtual Staging AI adds furniture and decor to enhance visual appeal and help potential buyers or tenants see the space’s full potential.
AI and machine learning applications
97% of CRE executives plan to implement AI. They have many options, including tools that integrate AI into existing platforms and others built entirely around it. These solutions support functions like automating underwriting, enabling predictive maintenance, streamlining lease abstraction, and improving tenant communications.
One example in the multifamily space is Elise AI, which uses conversational chat to schedule tours, answer common questions, and send rent reminders. Another is IntellCRE, a platform that aggregates property and market data and applies AI-driven analytics to speed up underwriting. Investors use it to generate cash flow forecasts and build customized deal evaluation reports.
These examples only scratch the surface of what AI could bring to commercial real estate in the years ahead.
How to evaluate and select the right CRE tool?
Here are our top tips for assessing and choosing the best software for your environment.
| Category | Key considerations |
| Organizational needs | Identify stakeholder needs to avoid future disruptions. |
| Budget | Align with long-term goals and consider total cost, scalability, and training needs. |
| Scalability and user experience | Pick a software that grows with you and is easy for users to adopt and use effectively. |
| Vendor support and training | Choose providers that prioritize support and training options to maximize return. |
- Assessing organizational needs: Start by identifying the specific use cases and requirements of all stakeholders who will use the software. If you work with outside investors, consider their needs as well and choose a platform that can support those relationships over time. Making the right choice early on helps prevent disruptions and reduces the likelihood of switching tools later.
- Budget considerations: As you evaluate software, align your decision with the company’s goals and long-term growth plans. Look beyond upfront costs and think about how the solution will scale with your business. A tool that seems affordable now may become more costly or limiting later. Don’t overlook the time and resources needed to train users and manage implementation. A thorough evaluation ensures the solution fits your budget and your future.
- Scalability and user experience: Choose a solution that can grow with you. There’s little value in adopting a platform you’ll outgrow in six months. Look for systems that allow you to add features or expand functionality as your needs evolve. Just as important, prioritize ease of use. An intuitive interface makes it easier for stakeholders to adopt and use the platform effectively.
- Vendor support and training: Vendor support should be part of your evaluation from the start. Understand what your purchase includes and how quickly you can access help when needed. The right partner should help you get value early and stay responsive as your needs change.
How to integrate CRE tools for maximum efficiency
Using fewer tools can reduce training time and allow for more automated workflows across your organization. Still, given the range of responsibilities in commercial real estate, most firms require a combination of systems. The key is choosing software that covers multiple needs and integrates smoothly with the rest of your tech stack.
For example, an investment management solution should support the full investor lifecycle and connect with other platforms to bring key business functions together, including:
- Property management tools: Feed operational data into performance dashboards so investors can access up-to-date business metrics.
- Accounting software: Sync financials for consistent reporting across investor statements, tax documents, and internal records.
- Business intelligence platforms: Connect tools like data warehouses to centralize information and monitor performance across KPIs.
Conclusion
Even the best tool won’t deliver results without the right strategy behind it. Take time to assess your needs, involve your team, and evaluate how each solution fits into your broader tech stack. Demo the tools, talk to other users, and look beyond features to find a solution that adapts as your needs evolve.
If you’re looking to raise capital faster and strengthen investor relationships, Agora’s complete platform for commercial real estate can help you grow your business with ease.
