New IREM Research: AI Adoption in Property Management Doubles

Artificial intelligence (AI) has officially moved from a curiosity to a competitive advantage in property management. The latest IREM and AppFolio research — AI on the Rise: Adoption in Property Management Gains Traction — shows that AI adoption is accelerating, teams are incorporating it into daily workflows, and organizations that embrace AI are beginning to pull ahead on critical operational and financial metrics.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the findings.

The State of AI in Property Management

This year’s survey of more than 1,800 industry professionals reveals AI is moving firmly into the mainstream of property operations.

Adoption Is Rising Quickly

The IREM and AppFolio Report shows that AI use among property management professionals has more than doubled over the past 18 months. Meanwhile, the share of respondents who say they have no plans to use AI has dropped sharply — clear evidence that industry skepticism is fading.

Even more compelling is the finding that 62% of AI users began using it within the past year, and nearly three-quarters already use it daily or almost daily.

Teams now rely on a mix of general-purpose AI and AI features integrated directly into their property management platforms.

Where Teams Are Applying AI

The most common use cases all cluster around communication, analysis, and documentation:

• Responding to online reviews

• Communicating with residents and prospects

• Analyzing leases, contracts, and vendor documents

• Preparing operational, financial, and market reports

• Managing renewals and maintenance workflows

AI is already touching some of the most time-consuming and communication-heavy tasks in daily property management.

AI at Work: The Measurable Impact

The IREM/AppFolio research doesn’t just capture usage — it quantifies the operational differences between AI users and non-users. The performance gaps are significant.

Faster, More Accurate Operational Workflows

Teams using AI outperform non-users across many workflows:

• Operational reports: Completed up to one hour faster

• Renewals: Earlier insight into renewal intent — nearly one week sooner

• Online reviews: Response times cut by more than half ( 33 minutes vs. 74)

• Financial reporting: Complex reports finalized about one hour faster

These efficiency gains reinforce broader industry sentiment. For example, recent NAA data shows 77% of companies using AI report improved overall performance, affirming that these benefits extend across portfolios, regions, and technology stacks.

Organizations Encouraging AI See Stronger Business Results

The IREM study also compared performance metrics to determine if there were measurable differences between leaders who actively encourage the use of AI (AI advocates) and those who do not (non-advocates). The results indicate AI is having a big impact on performance.

Two advantages stand out:

1) Productivity: AI advocates manage 35% more residential units per employee.

2) Portfolio performance: More AI advocates reported net operating income (NOI) growth compared to non-advocates.

Combined with the finding that nearly 90% of leaders do not expect AI to reduce headcount, the picture becomes clear: AI supports teams, expands capacity, and improves output without replacing people.

The New Performance Strategy

The 2025 IREM/AppFolio findings make one thing clear: AI is no longer experimental — it’s now directly tied to stronger operational and financial performance. And the biggest gains come from AI that’s embedded, not bolted on. That’s what sets AppFolio apart. With AI woven throughout the platform — not layered onto legacy workflows — AppFolio can learn, adapt, and act across every major function of property management.

AppFolio Realm-X Performers take this a step further. These autonomous, agentic AI tools fully own complex workflows in leasing, maintenance, resident communications, and soon, accounting. Unlike standard AI assistants, Performers complete tasks end-to-end — from scheduling tours to triaging and dispatching work orders — freeing teams to focus on strategy, service, and growth.

Then there’s Realm-X Flows, the AppFolio workflow automation engine that standardizes processes, increases efficiency, and is proven to help guide teams to consistently achieve high performance. For example, an August 2025 survey shows:

The impact is best seen firsthand. We invite you to explore Realm-X Performers in action — and dive into the full IREM and AppFolio Report for the most current view of how AI is transforming property management.