Commercial real estate is obsessed with numbers.
We measure vacancy to the decimal. We debate cap rates like it’s a competitive sport. We have charts, dashboards, forecasts, and opinions about everyone else’s forecast.
And yet we still operate with a structural blind spot that costs the industry real money.
We have data on buildings. We have far less shared data on the people.
In CRE, there’s no centralized MLS. There’s no universal visibility into how brokers win, market, negotiate, or close business. So, when a broker asks, “Am I doing enough marketing?” or “What do top producers actually do differently?” the answer is too often some version of: it depends, in my market…here’s my story.
If you’ve ever sat in a pipeline meeting where five smart people argued five different “truths” about what’s working, you already understand the problem. We don’t need more opinions; we need a benchmark.
Stories are useful. Benchmarks are better.
That’s why the DNA of #CRE Survey, created through the long-running partnership between Buildout and theBrokerList, has become one of the most important datasets in commercial real estate. It’s positioned as the only CRE survey focused on the people and best practices behind success, not just macro market metrics.
This survey is an industry mirror.
And right now, that mirror is blurring.
The uncomfortable truth: response rate controls reality
TheBrokerList has been direct about what’s happening this cycle, the survey is facing the lowest response rate in its history.
Low response is not a PR issue. It’s a precision issue.
A survey with weak participation turns into a horoscope. Entertaining, occasionally accurate, and useless when you’re making real decisions.
A survey with strong participation becomes a benchmark. Benchmarks create clarity, and clarity creates action.
This matters for the entire ecosystem: brokers, marketers, leadership, PropTech, recruiters, educators, content creators. When participation drops, the industry loses visibility, and the “mirror” stops reflecting reality.
Why marketers care, and why brokers should too
Mo Regalado, CEO and Founder of MoVO Media Marketing, said it better than any strategy deck ever has:
“Your voice and opinion as a data point matter. The DNA of CRE survey helps marketers and brokers with industry-wide insights to stop guessing, start understanding, and actually base decisions on something more reliable than ‘vibes’.”
That’s not a motivational quote. That’s a survival tool inside brokerages.
Because when you’re advocating for better CRM systems, stronger content, smarter digital advertising, or real support for video and social, “I feel like” is never enough. Benchmark data is what gives marketers receipts, and receipts win budget conversations.
Rod Santomassimo, Founder of Massimo Group, framed it from the business-owner side in a way that’s hard to argue with:
“Business owners make more educated decisions based on industry benchmarks. The DNA of CRE Survey is one of the leading benchmarks in the commercial real estate industry, helping brokers better understand where they can be most successful.”
That’s the point. Participation is not charity. Participation is leverage.
What this survey captures that CRE usually can’t see clearly
Most research tells you what the market did yesterday.
This survey benchmarks the behaviors behind performance, lead generation, marketing mix, tech adoption, and how teams allocate time and resources.
The DNA of #CRE Survey captures how brokers actually run their business today, the habits, systems, and choices that separate performance from noise. TheBrokerList describes it as a comprehensive benchmark that answers questions leaders rely on, like how brokers generate leads, what marketing strategies drive results, how teams use technology, and where they’re falling behind.
Buildout frames it similarly, as a survey focused on the people in CRE and what they do to be successful, including marketing, resource allocation, and tech predictions.
This is exactly why this dataset matters more when the market is uncertain. When conditions change, instincts get louder. Benchmarks keep you honest.
With AI and PropTech adoption accelerating, this year’s responses matter even more. Otherwise, we’re back to making decisions off anecdotes while the ground shifts under our feet.
Why we’re talking about it now
This push isn’t random. Linda Day Harrison, founder of theBrokerList, has been rallying the community to protect the usefulness of the dataset, and the message is simple: if we want a clear mirror, we need more people in the reflection.
Take the survey, then do one simple thing that multiplies responses
Take the survey, then copy and paste this to one person:
“The DNA of #CRE Survey is open. It takes minutes and everyone gets the results. Can you take it today so the benchmark stays meaningful?”
That’s it. No speech. No guilt. Just a nudge.
What you get for participating is simple: a clearer benchmark, fewer blind spots, and results you can use to make smarter decisions with your time, tools, and budget. The survey takes under 10 minutes.
Take the DNA of #CRE Survey here: https://dna-of-cre.buildout.com/
Watch the Social Surge segment featuring Linda Day Harrison with Mo Regalado and Fly Jameson:
Promotional partners supporting the survey
This effort is being amplified by a strong group of promotional partners across the CRE ecosystem, including: CREChat, Nashville Industrial, Beck Reit, CREMarketing, CREi Summit, MoVO Media Marketing, AiNews.com, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Best 1031 Online, Quiet Valor, CREPodcasts, Rents Due, Hungry Inc., TCN Worldwide, SIOR, CBI Commercial, Massimo Group, CRE Coaching & Consulting Group, CORFAC, and ProofStacking.ai.
