Property technology continues to flood the market with promises of operational transformation, creating a critical challenge for owners to separate genuine ROI solutions from costly gimmicks. Teddy Abdelmalek, Senior Vice President at HH Redstone, has developed a clear framework that helps owners make smarter PropTech investments across 7,500 units nationwide.
"There's so much noise in property technology," Abdelmalek explains. "The question is: Does it improve resident experience? Does it improve operational efficiency? If it doesn't hit on one of those, it's a gimmick." This simple lens ensures investments deliver measurable returns rather than empty promises. Before evaluating any technology, Abdelmalek's team identifies the specific operational problem they're trying to solve. Only then do they assess whether a proposed solution genuinely addresses that need or simply adds complexity.
Game-changing technologies include enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, where reliable, high-speed connectivity is essential for students' academic and social needs with ROI including fewer service calls, higher satisfaction, and competitive leasing advantage. Battery-free mobile access door locks powered by phones using reverse wireless charging reduce infrastructure costs and maintain access during power outages. AI leasing chatbots automate after-hours lead capture, paying for themselves quickly by ensuring no missed opportunities and faster lease conversions.
Overhyped technologies include standard VR tours, which Abdelmalek notes rarely drive results and often fall flat in leasing. "We've seen properties pour money into standard VR tools like Matterport floorplans but it does little for leasing or provide a measurable ROI," he says. The only virtual products truly worth supporting are high-end products from companies like LeaseMagnets and Point in Time Studios, which have nurtured over 3 million tours and enhance stabilized and new development pre-leasing campaigns. Other overhyped technologies include over-automated leasing systems that remove human connection and risk eroding community engagement, and complex amenity systems with elaborate booking tools for underutilized amenities that typically underperform compared to functional infrastructure improvements.
Future innovations expected between 2026 and 2030 include interactive common area displays providing news, weather, and local advertising that improve communication while generating revenue. Smart home integration with voice-activated work orders directly linked to property management streamlines service while keeping the experience human. Unit-specific leasing allowing residents to select exact bedrooms or views brings multifamily flexibility to student housing, enhancing choice and satisfaction.
Abdelmalek draws inspiration from hospitality and retail, where anticipatory service drives loyalty and efficiency. "FedEx understands anticipatory service—they know people aren't just mailing packages," he explains. "They've built an entire ecosystem around predicting when you'll need shipping supplies, when your business will have peak shipping needs, and how to make the entire process frictionless before you even realize you need help." In PropTech, this same principle applies where the best technologies anticipate resident needs before they become problems.
The smart decision framework starts with identifying operational challenges before shopping for solutions, with Abdelmalek's team documenting specific pain points like lease conversion rates, maintenance response times, and resident complaints before evaluating whether technology can meaningfully address those metrics. Impact measurement focuses on tracking metrics that directly affect NOI: leasing velocity, resident retention, and operational efficiency. "If you can't draw a direct line from the technology investment to one of these outcomes, it's probably not worth the expense," Abdelmalek notes. Maintaining humanity remains crucial, with technology enhancing human connection rather than eliminating it, freeing staff from repetitive tasks to focus on relationship-building that drives retention.
"The secret sauce isn't mysterious. It's doing fundamentals consistently every single day," Abdelmalek emphasizes. Successful PropTech investments enhance proven strategies, improve measurable outcomes, and elevate resident experience, with everything else representing expensive noise. The key is maintaining clarity about what problems are being solved and ensuring technology serves operational goals rather than creating new complications.
