AI Trust and Community Reshape CRE Decisions 🤖

Build Deal Flow on Transparency Not Hype

Author

Anne Morgan
September 15, 2025

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Hello, Commercial Real Estate Pros! 🏢

LightBox’s August CRE Activity Index slipped to 104.8 from 111.8 in July, following June’s multi-year high. The late-summer pause reflects investors weighing mixed signals while awaiting the Fed. You will find the full release in the articles below.

In this issue, we break down what the 12 percent drop in listings and the 3 percent dip in lender appraisals signal about underwriting, why Phase I ESA activity held steady for a third month, and how seven straight readings above 100 keep deal flow within a healthy band heading into fall.

Let’s take a closer look.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

  • 📉 LightBox Index Shows Late-Summer Pause as Fed Looms

  • 👀 Real Estate Agents Use AI To Read Your Social Media

  • 🤝 AI, Trust, and Community Redefine Real Estate Decisions

📉 LightBox Index Shows Late-Summer Pause as Fed Looms

The CRE Activity Index slipped to 104.8, down from July’s 111.8, as listings declined again. Yet momentum holds, with seven straight months above 100 and a 12-month average of 100.1.

Key Takeaways:

  • 📉 Index Eases: August reads 104.8, down from 111.8 in July and 116.2 in June, yet still above the healthy 100 mark.

  • 📈 Trendline Clears 100: The 12-month moving average reaches 100.1, topping the threshold for the first time since early 2022.

  • 🏢 Listings Slip Again: Commercial property listings decline 12% month over month, following a similar drop in July after strong gains in June.

  • 🧭 Outlook Hinges on Fed: Investors hold back as markets await an expected rate cut, with September historically bringing a post-summer rebound.

👀 Real Estate Agents Use AI To Read Your Social Media

Agents now scan Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, and AI suggests how to pitch each seller.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🤖 AI Calls Leads: Masked assistants phone open-house visitors, run tested scripts, and qualify prospects cheaper than junior staff.

  • 🧠 Personality Profiling: Tools scan Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to infer traits and suggest how to sell to each vendor.

  • 🧍 Humans Still Lead: Property transactions remain human-led, while AI lifts back-office productivity and speeds responses.

  • ⚖️ Limits and Risks: Profiling works only with public posts, and automated price estimates remain shaky, raising trust and accuracy questions.

🤝 AI, Trust, and Community Redefine Real Estate Decisions

BT-AI: Broker Terminal pairs human-first AI with a code of ethics to rebuild trust. What began as a WhatsApp group has grown into a community built on the principle that ‘unity is growth.’

Key Takeaways:

  • 🧩 Human-First Platform: Puts ethics, accountability, and transparency at the center, using AI to support trusted decisions.

  • 🌐 From Group to Ecosystem: Began as a WhatsApp group, now connects brokers, investors, and developers across Dubai and beyond.

  • 🔎 Value for Every Stakeholder: Buyers get pricing and handover clarity, sellers gain accurate appraisals, investors find growth deals, and developers improve delivery.

  • 🤝 Unity is Growth: Founders champion collaboration over competition, strengthening community credibility and global connections.

Why It Matters

An index above 100 for seven straight months says activity is still healthy, yet August’s pullback shows how rate uncertainty and tariff risk slow decisions, raise underwriting hurdles, and add carry costs to waiting. Fewer listings and slightly lower appraisal volume can widen bid-ask gaps and push timelines, which affects fees and financing terms.

If the Fed cuts in September, capital could re-engage quickly, so aligning hold periods and debt options now helps protect budgets and reputation as conditions shift.

Catch you in the next issue,

Anne Morgan
Editor-in-Chief
Commercial Real Estate Weekly

P.S. Interested in sponsoring a future issue? Just reply to this email and I’ll send packages!

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