The real estate sector is consolidating its technological foundations with the pillars of big data.

Reports indicate that the sector's level of digitalization remains low. However, as evidenced this week at the Madrid International Real Estate Show (SIMA), the industry is intensifying its technological revolution. The potential for using digital tools is enormous in the very diverse areas of the sector, and thanks to them we see, for example, how timescales for project completion and obtaining housing are getting shorter, or even how users see shorter timescales for finally purchasing a home. Big data, AI, chatbots, blockchain... each tool has many possibilities and their use is becoming more widespread. Data is the new lifeblood of the sector. According to data managed by Gloval Building Value, 85% of real estate companies have adopted big data to improve their decision-making processes and optimize their operations. While the Allaboutia.com platform, dedicated to analyzing the uses of AI in different sectors, states that 36% of companies in the real estate sector use AI, and this figure is expected to increase to 90% by 2030. Furthermore, 63% of real estate companies have reported increases in their revenue after implementing AI, while 49% have experienced cost reductions, decreasing operating expenses by up to 15%.

Gerardo Raido, Marketing Director of Accumin Spain, explains that big data is transforming the real estate sector in two key directions: smarter decisions and more efficient processes. "On the one hand, it allows us to analyze risks, anticipate market developments, and detect opportunities with a precision that was previously unthinkable. On the other hand, it optimizes operations as diverse as the logistics of a construction company or the planning of an agency's sales teams," he emphasizes. He believes that in a still-traditional market like the Spanish one, combining experience with big data and technology makes a difference. "And this doesn't just affect the big players: for most people, their home is their primary asset, and we can't afford to make decisions blindly," he points out. Accumin is the international group specializing in real estate valuation and consulting, software, and data intelligence.

He also notes that large investment funds and banks use data-driven tools to value assets, assess risks, and make decisions quickly. "They have also revolutionized the way we access real estate offerings, both from internal management and through online platforms. Data has gone from being an aid to being the core of the business," he clarifies. In his opinion, the use of digital tools can have a significant impact on the development sector. "Moving from the standard model to projects based on real data (from land selection to product definition) is key to responding to new ways of living: compact apartments, common areas, or flexible housing," Raido points out. But there is also much room for improvement among small property owners and individual investors, "who still make decisions based on market rumors." And considering that for many, their home represents their greatest asset, "making informed decisions is no longer a luxury: it's a necessity," emphasizes the Marketing Director of Accumin Spain. Data will increasingly make it possible to anticipate scenarios and reduce uncertainty. "We're not talking about guessing the future, but rather predicting it with greater probability and reliability," he adds.

Accumi has unified its global data, insights, and artificial intelligence business into a new company called Accumin Intelligence, integrating the expertise and innovative solutions of Spanish companies Deyde, Datacentric, Urban Data Analytics, Tinsa Digital's automated valuation (AVM) business, and the German company on-geo. They have just launched Accumate, a platform that allows for the management and monitoring of real estate portfolios with precision and forward-looking vision. "Our clients already use our solutions for automated valuations, optimal business location, climate risk analysis, and artificial intelligence models that provide key information on energy efficiency," explains Gerardo Raido. What truly sets them apart is that, in addition to having a large real estate database, "we also bring to that data a unique level of analysis, expertise, and technology. At Accumin Intelligence, data is not just numbers: it is useful, contextualized, and actionable knowledge," he points out. Another solution is Accumin Data House, which offers real-time access to all of the company's data and artificial intelligence models.

Last October, the real estate portal Fotocasa launched Fotocasa brAIn, an artificial intelligence platform specialized in resolving questions about the Spanish real estate sector. This AI was created using GPT Chat technology with the goal of helping anyone resolve their housing concerns. These range from questions about buying, renting, or selling a home to decorating, subsidies, or renovations, among many others. According to Fotocasa, this tool answered nearly 10,000 questions and queries about the Spanish housing market in the first four months. "The platform aims to simplify the buying and selling or renting process, facilitating access to immediate, accurate, and personalized information on any question related to the real estate sector, from legal aspects to aid or subsidies, including issues related to mortgage financing, utilities, or decoration," explains the portal.

María Matos, its Director of Studies and spokesperson, believes that this tool "can have a long way to go, as we are helping many Spaniards with their real estate concerns, and we know that a significant portion of the population is still not used to the daily use of artificial intelligence tools, so we hope to reach many more people who need it."

Another example of this commitment to technology can be seen in the real estate franchise Keller Williams, which has been operating in Spain since 2015 and has 700 associated real estate professionals in Spain. A few months ago, they launched KWIQ, an innovative AI-powered assistant integrated into their Command platform, in which the company has already invested more than €1 billion in recent years. KWIQ is designed to offer real-time assistance, at any time of day, allowing agents to obtain specific answers to their questions about the real estate market, trends, and more, all in Spanish. It also facilitates the creation of content for newsletters, social media posts, and property descriptions.

The company expects KWIQ to evolve to be able to generate real-time market analysis and offer key data and insights to optimize decision-making. "We are committed to continuing to develop features that save our agents time and money, integrating all market data to offer an exceptional experience to our customers," emphasizes Leonardo Cromstedt, president of Keller Williams Spain & Andorra.

Another sector where digitalization is most noticeable is in mortgage financial consulting, with the emergence of a significant number of fintech-proptech startups seeking to secure the best market terms for their individual clients' mortgages. In the case of one of them, Gibobs.com, "thanks to the use of all this technology along with our excellent team, we have managed to significantly reduce mortgage signing times, in some cases down to one month, while the industry average is around three months," explains Jorge González-Iglesias Baeza, CEO.

These are just a few examples of how data culture has established itself as an indisputable pillar of efficiency for the sector.

This week, SIMA was a platform for presentations of new proposals from developers, where innovation was very present. One of the new features was at the Gilmar stand, where the firm unveiled NeuroHomes, a pioneering tool that combines biometric sensors with virtual reality technology to analyze users' emotions (conscious and unconscious) as they explore its housing offerings. "We're able to measure people's emotions when they're viewing our homes," explains Ignacio Mallagray, Gilmar's marketing director. "You connect with the customer through emotion," he adds. The ultimate goal is to help them find the home that truly reflects their way of feeling and living, which doesn't always correspond to their initial ideas.

This technology, designed by the company, allows users' emotional reactions to be recorded in real time thanks to high-precision biometric sensors. The devices used measure parameters such as pulse, temperature, galvanic skin resistance, heart rate variability, and brain activity, providing a detailed picture of the user's emotional state while viewing properties through virtual reality headsets.

During SIMA, participants were able to test this tool by putting on virtual reality headsets that displayed photographs of four different Gilmar properties for sale. By measuring biometric data (16 parameters) and brain data, the program was able to capture the customer's most emotional and rational side and, after analyzing them, identify which home is most suitable for them. This results in a more personalized, empathetic, and efficient search. All this takes just a few minutes and is easy and enjoyable for the user.

"At Gilmar, we are convinced of the importance of personal advice; it's essential, but we are also committed to innovation," begins Jesús Gil Marín, CEO of the real estate company. He is very pleased with the launch of NeuroHomes, "a new development whose success we will continue to see." The idea is for these virtual glasses to be available in the company's more than 40 offices across the country.

Gil Marín recalls that technology has greatly helped them sell homes during times like the pandemic, allowing clients to take virtual tours. "Being in the home is important when buying, but virtual tours are very helpful in making an initial selection and are essential when dealing with foreign clients," emphasizes Gilmar's CEO.

This real estate sector's commitment to technology might lead one to believe it's trying to connect with a younger audience. But as Jesús Gil Marín points out, "young people have the hardest time coping with high housing prices, so they're not the most common customers."