Real estate CFOs and COOs face two main challenges: protecting performance amid higher borrowing costs, refinancing uncertainty, and operating pressures while also identifying where AI can deliver measurable value. Leaders must make disciplined decisions today without losing sight of longer-term readiness.
A practical response starts with creating a longer runway for capital and lease decisions and applying similar discipline to technology investments: start with a clear business constraint, assign accountability, and measure outcomes.
At the recent Information Management Network (IMN) Real Estate CFO & COO East conference, CBIZ’s Abe Schlisselfeld, National Real Estate Industry Leader, and David Fisher, Vice President, Artificial Intelligence, discussed two key priorities in real estate finance: protecting performance and adopting AI responsibly.
Financial Discipline Remains Essential
Caution continues to shape real estate decisions even as optimism returns to parts of the market. Higher borrowing costs are weighing on property values, refinancing, and investment activity, increasing pressure on owners and operators to strengthen financial management.
Schlisselfeld emphasized that refinancing preparation should start years before a loan matures. This extended timeline allows finance leaders to identify refinancing risks, strengthen property performance, address lease exposure, and negotiate with lenders from a stronger position. Early lease renewals can also improve income stability before debt maturity or refinancing.
Schlisselfeld also encouraged owners and operators to revisit expenses once considered uncontrollable. Insurance and labor costs warrant closer scrutiny, and stronger tax appeal support can help protect margins. Some companies are exploring new insurance strategies and workforce efficiency studies to find savings without compromising operations.
AI Is Moving Beyond Experimentation
The same market pressures driving financial discipline also require speed and analytical capacity. When used selectively, AI can reduce administrative work and give finance teams more time to evaluate risk, compare options, and support decisions.
Fisher advised leaders to focus on business constraints first, evaluating applications against specific operational or financial challenges rather than broad, theoretical possibilities.
Examples from the conference included comparing loan terms, extracting contract information, processing invoices, and preparing investment approval materials. By reducing tasks from hours to minutes, these applications can give finance professionals more capacity to interpret results, advise the business, and make informed decisions.
Document-heavy processes are especially promising. New tools can extract and analyze information from leases, debt agreements, invoices, and other financial records, even when formats differ, streamlining workflows that previously relied on rigid templates or manual review.
Human Judgment Still Matters
Rapid adoption makes human oversight even more important. Unlike traditional automation, generative AI can produce different outputs from the same inputs. For finance and accounting teams, that variability makes review and accountability essential.
Fisher noted that mature AI programs assign a responsible owner to every outcome. This individual reviews analyses, validates calculations, assesses recommendations, and remains accountable for the final decision. AI-generated work should receive the same scrutiny as any other analysis supporting financial reporting, compliance, investor communications, client deliverables, or capital decisions.
Measuring Value Beyond Efficiency
Fisher recommended measuring AI investments based on a defined business outcome, not just time savings.
His framework is clear: define the business problem, set a performance baseline, assign ownership, and compare results after implementation. CFOs and COOs can then assess improvements in accuracy, decision speed, risk reduction, service capacity, and future staffing needs, in addition to efficiency gains.
The intended use of any freed capacity should be defined before implementation, whether the goal is improved service, expanded analysis, lower operational risk, growth support, or reduced future staffing demands.
Success Requires More Than Technology
Before investing, leaders should confirm that data is reliable, workflows are consistent, systems can support the use case, and employees are ready to adopt the technology. AI can enhance a sound process, but it can’t resolve fragmented data, unclear ownership, or inconsistent execution alone.
Data security also requires careful attention. Real estate companies manage sensitive information about tenants, investors, properties, and financial performance. Clear policies and controls help keep this information out of unsecured AI environments as tool access expands.
Workforce readiness will influence results as much as the technology itself. Employees need practical training, ongoing support, and clear guidance to evaluate outputs and apply professional judgment when risks arise. Investing in education and governance supports long-term adoption across the organization.
Looking Ahead
Schlisselfeld’s and Fisher’s perspectives point to the same conclusion: financial discipline and technology planning must be connected priorities. Real estate CFOs and COOs can act now by reviewing debt and lease exposure earlier, reassessing previously considered fixed costs, selecting AI use cases linked to measurable business constraints, and assigning accountability before implementation.
This approach extends the timeline for capital decisions and enables teams to pursue AI-driven capacity without weakening oversight. Leaders who connect clear business objectives with strong governance and consistent human judgment will be better positioned to improve decision-making while maintaining the financial discipline required in today’s market.
To discuss how these strategies could support your organization’s financial and operational goals, contact a member of the CBIZ real estate team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewing debt maturities and lease exposure several years in advance creates a more flexible planning window. Finance teams gain time to strengthen property performance, improve income stability, address potential risks, and approach lenders from a stronger position.
Document-heavy and administrative processes offer some of the clearest opportunities for AI, including comparing loan terms, extracting information from leases and contracts, processing invoices, and preparing investment approval materials. Automating these tasks can give finance professionals more time for analysis, risk evaluation, and strategic decision-making.
A disciplined evaluation starts with a defined business problem, a performance baseline, and clear responsibility for the outcome. After implementation, leaders can measure improvements in accuracy, decision speed, risk reduction, service capacity, staffing needs, and efficiency.
© Copyright CBIZ, Inc. All rights reserved. Use of the material contained herein without the express written consent of the firms is prohibited by law. This publication is distributed with the understanding that CBIZ is not rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. The reader is advised to contact a tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information. CBIZ assumes no liability whatsoever in connection with the use of this information and assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any changes in tax laws or other factors that could affect the information contained herein. Material contained in this publication is informational and promotional in nature and not intended to be specific financial, tax or consulting advice. Readers are advised to seek professional consultation regarding circumstances affecting their organization.
“CBIZ” is the brand name under which CBIZ CPAs P.C. and CBIZ, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including CBIZ Advisors, LLC, provide professional services. CBIZ CPAs P.C. and CBIZ, Inc. (and its subsidiaries) practice as an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable law, regulations, and professional standards. CBIZ CPAs P.C. is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients. CBIZ, Inc. and its subsidiary entities provide tax, advisory, and consulting services to their clients. CBIZ, Inc. and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms and, therefore, cannot provide attest services.
