Could Tech Replace Traditional Property Managers?

InnovationConsumer TechCould Tech Replace Traditional Property Managers?ByAngelica Krystle Donati,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about proptech and innovation in real estate and construction.Follow AuthorJun 03, 2026, 12:11pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Man insurance agent holding house model with home insurance icon. Property insurance security concept to protect family, real estate from accidents and unexpected disaster.gettyFor most of the past century, property management has followed a familiar model. The property owner hires a manager. The manager fields the calls, chases the repairs and handles the tenants. The owner pays a percentage of the rent, around 10 to 15% in London, for the privilege. The arrangement has thus far proved remarkably durable, yet we may now be approaching a point at which technology is advanced and affordable enough to make automation in property management a practical reality. The question is no longer if automation will disrupt property management - it already has - but whether it will ultimately make human managers optional.Where Automation Is WinningAI adoption among property management firms rose from 20% to 58% in one year, according to Buildium's 2026 Industry Report – a near tripling in twelve months. This rapid growth is being driven by the administrative, transactional, and conversational nature of property management, areas where AI can deliver the greatest value. Morgan Stanley, looking at 162 REITs and commercial real estate firms employing 525,000 people, projects that 37% of their tasks can be automated, representing $34 billion in efficiency gains by 2030. By contrast, only 6% of construction tasks are realistically automatable, according to Goldman Sachs.The important question, then, is which tasks are being automated first. The answer is tenant-facing work, and it...