I waited tables for a while in my early twenties to supplement my dream of becoming anything but a nine-to-fiver. I mostly wrote in my journal, drank coffee and smoked cigarettes (when both were still allowed to co-exist in the same establishment), but waiting tables taught me a lot of life lessons I still reference today.
For example: the group that arrives celebrating an event will most likely be the worst table of the night. Which is strange, because all the elements of success are there – a planned event, shared excitement, money to spend, a clear objective: have a good time, eat good food, enjoy these good people.
But too many variables are left unchecked. The noise level. The high expectations. The slow kitchen due to other large parties. The table location too close to the wait station. All of those unseen details can turn what should be an easy win into a stressful experience for both guests and staff.
If you’ve been in commercial housing long enough, you’ve seen the same thing happen with a property refresh. The event is approved. The budget is set. Everyone is excited! The objective is clear: upgrade a space to make it more appealing and competitive. And yet – what should be a quick, cosmetic refresh often turns into a drawn-out production. Weeks are lost in sourcing, multiple stakeholders weigh in on every product, and the final furniture list is anything but final once discontinued products and price increases enter the picture.
The Cost of a Broken Refresh Process
When a refresh drags, the costs pile up:
Vacancy days multiply.
Every day a unit, amenity, or model sits unfinished costs real money. And it’s not just lost rent — empty spaces create a cascade of expenses, from marketing inefficiency to strained operating budgets.
Team morale drops.
On-site staff spend more time chasing quotes and samples than connecting with residents or prospects. The energy they should use for leasing and resident service is wasted on tasks they were never hired to do.
The resident experience suffers.
Outdated or inconsistent spaces don’t inspire confidence. If your property looks like it’s waiting on decisions, residents start to wonder if your operations are lagging everywhere else, too.
This isn’t just an aesthetic problem — it’s a business problem.
What Makes AI Useful in Property Refresh (and What Doesn’t)
Not all AI tools are built for the realities of commercial housing. A property refresh isn’t the same as furnishing a home or decorating a living room. For AI to be truly useful, it has to support:
Multiple stakeholders.
Regional managers, asset managers, and on-site teams all need input. Any tool has to simplify collaboration, not add another layer of friction.
Strict budgets.
Suggestions must align with financial constraints. AI should know the difference between aspirational design and what can actually be purchased within capex or op-ex parameters.
Tight timelines.
Refreshes can’t drag for months. AI has to cut decision time and speed approvals so properties can lease faster and avoid costly downtime.
Procurement-ready selections.
Products have to be durable, commercial-grade, and available to order. If AI can’t bridge inspiration to procurement, it’s just another pretty picture.
That’s the difference between a flashy tool that demos well and one that actually delivers results in the field.
AI & Technology in the Bigger Picture
AI is no longer a novelty. It’s a disruptor – and owners, lenders, and investors are watching closely. What they want is simple: faster ROI and data-driven decision-making.
Here’s how to prepare clients for this shift:
- Introduce AI-enabled tools as pre-design accelerators.
Show how these platforms cut time and soft costs by getting stakeholders aligned earlier in the process. - Demonstrate transparency through procurement software and AI reporting.
Lenders increasingly demand documentation. Tools that produce real-time data on product availability, pricing, and spend make financing conversations smoother.
Position designers as the bridge.
Technology accelerates the workflow, but it doesn’t replace judgment, creativity, or brand oversight. The firms that win will be the ones that combine AI’s speed with human expertise.
The Bottom Line
AI isn’t here to replace designers, property managers, or developers. It’s here to remove bottlenecks, enforce consistency, and create transparency that’s been missing in refresh cycles for decades.
If your refresh process still feels like waiting on the “worst table of the night,” it’s time to rethink how you’re measuring, managing, and leveraging technology. Because in the next wave of commercial housing, the properties that adapt will lease faster, operate more efficiently, and outpace the ones still stuck in drawn-out refresh cycles.
