I’ve been talking to CRE brokers who don’t show buildings anymore. They send clients the key location, tell them to walk through on their own, and call it efficient.
I think that’s a mistake.
Look, I get it. When you’re showing a tenant 10 different buildings and your success rate is maybe one out of ten, it feels like low-productivity work. You’re spending hours driving around, unlocking doors, walking through empty spaces, and most of the time nothing comes of it. The math doesn’t look good on paper.
But this is what these brokers are missing.
The Productivity Problem
Last week I showed a building in Pennsylvania. The owner tells me the key is in the closet. I ask where the space is. He says there’s space on the first floor and the second floor. That’s it. That’s all I get.
So I’m wandering around this building trying to find vacant space. I end up walking into an occupied tenant’s suite to ask them where the available space is. The tenant across the hall finally points me in the right direction.
That’s what happens when nobody’s there to guide prospects through a building. They stumble around, can’t find what they’re looking for, and get frustrated. Frankly, the building doesn’t show well that way.
Truthfully, I think robots are going to handle this in the future. A robot could handle the basic logistics, unlock the right doors, show the right spaces, and do it without the productivity concerns that make brokers avoid showing buildings.
However, we’re not there yet. The technology isn’t perfected. Robots are still too expensive and not reliable enough to create any real traction in our market. So right now, it’s still humans doing it. If you’re going to have a human involved, they should actually be there.
What You Learn by Showing Up
What brokers who don’t show buildings are really giving up: information.
In this market, we have at least 1.5 million square feet of lease expirations every year. When you’re out there showing buildings, you’re meeting those tenants. You’re learning who’s in the market, what they’re looking for, what their timeline is, and what’s driving their decision.
That intelligence has value beyond the immediate tour. You might show space to a company today and nothing happens. Two years later, they’re still looking because their situation changed or the right building wasn’t available when they needed it. Now you’ve got a relationship. You know their needs, have the right building, and close the transaction because of it.
I’ve done that multiple times over the years. The relationship you build during a tour that doesn’t result in a deal often pays off down the road. But you only get that relationship if you’re actually there.
Brokers who just send keys and building addresses don’t get that data, build those relationships, and make that client feel like they don’t care. They’ve made a calculation that their time is better spent elsewhere.
I think that calculation is wrong.
The Personal Approach Still Matters
Commercial real estate is still a relationship business. Yes, we use technology. We have listing platforms and virtual tours, and all the digital tools that make parts of this work more efficient.
When someone is making a decision about where to locate their business for their employees to work and where they’ll invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a lease commitment, they want to work with someone who knows the market, the buildings, and who shows up.
The broker who’s actually there during the tour can answer questions on the spot. They can point out features the prospect might miss and explain how the space could be configured for their specific needs. They can provide context about the building, the area, and the market conditions.
You don’t get any of that with a key in a closet and crossed fingers that you find the space.
What This Really Comes Down To
Some brokers avoid showing buildings because they think it’s not worth their time. The success rate is low, and the revenue per tour is uncertain. They want to focus on higher-productivity activities.
That’s a short-term view.
The brokers who understand this market and build expertise become the specialists that companies want to work with. They get there by doing the work. That includes showing buildings, being present, and gathering intelligence about who’s looking for space and what they need.
With 40 years in this business, I’ve learned that information compounds from being in the market, meeting prospects, and walking buildings with potential tenants. It becomes your competitive advantage.
You can’t build that advantage sitting in your office sending key locations via email.
The Future and the Present
Will robots eventually handle routine building tours? Probably. The technology will get better, the costs will come down, and at some point, having a robot show buildings might make sense for certain types of properties or touring situations.
However, we’re not there yet. Even when we are, the human element of commercial real estate, the relationship building, the market knowledge, the ability to understand what a client actually needs beyond what they’re saying they need, that’s not going away.
Right now, if you’re a broker, you have a choice. You can show buildings, gather intelligence, build relationships, and position yourself as someone who knows the market. Or you can send key locations and hope prospects figure it out on their own.
I know which approach I’m sticking with.
After four decades in commercial real estate, I still show buildings. I still meet prospects face to face. I still gather information about who’s in the market and what they’re looking for.
That’s not because I haven’t figured out how to be more efficient. It’s because I understand what actually creates value in this business. Showing up still matters.
Want to work with a team that shows up? Contact us to discuss your commercial real estate needs with brokers who know the market because we’re actually in it.
