The Impact of Consolidation in Lease Management Tools

Last Updated on February 27, 2025 by Morgan Beard

Recent acquisitions have reshaped the commercial lease management software market, with industry stalwarts being absorbed by larger entities. CoStar’s acquisition of Visual Lease, LeaseQuery’s strategic rebranding to FinQuery, and Insight Software’s purchase of Lease Accelerator mark a turning point in how commercial tenants manage their lease portfolios. For real estate leaders managing multiple locations, these changes raise important questions about the future of their lease management processes and the usage of their data.

The Evolution of Lease Management Tools

From Spreadsheets to Sophisticated Platforms

The journey of lease management tools mirrors the broader digital transformation in commercial real estate. What began as manual spreadsheet tracking has evolved into sophisticated software platforms that handle complex lease portfolios. Early adopters remember the challenges of managing multiple locations through disconnected Excel files and paper documents. So, the emergence of specialized lease management platforms brought welcome relief, introducing automated workflows and centralized data management.

The Current Wave of Consolidation

Today’s consolidation trend isn’t happening in isolation. Several factors are driving larger technology companies to acquire specialized lease management solutions:

The implementation of ASC 842 & IFRS 16 lease accounting standards has created immense demand for comprehensive lease management tools. Accordingly, these regulations require organizations to maintain more detailed lease records and perform complex calculations that exceed the capabilities of traditional spreadsheets.

As a result of these compliance requirements, the value of lease data has become increasingly apparent to larger technology congolmerates. Lease information provides insights into market trends, occupancy costs, and portfolio performance that can inform broader real estate strategy decisions.

What to Do When Your Lease Management Software is Acquired

Evaluating Product Roadmap & Support Changes

When your lease management provider undergoes an acquisition, it’s crucial to understand how this change might affect your organization. Consider these key aspects:

Product Development: Acquisitions often lead to shifts in product priorities. What was once a roadmap focused on the real estate/ finance tenant needs might pivot to serve different stakeholders. In this situation, make sure to monitor announcements about feature development and ensure they align with your organization’s requirements.

Customer Support: Changes in ownership frequently result in support team restructuring. So, it is important to pay attention to response times and the quality of support during the transition period. If you notice declining service levels, document these changes to inform your decision-making process.

Training & Resources: Oftentimes with acquisitions, training and resource materials go stale. As a result, documentation, onboarding guides, and support materials may become deprioritized in favor of broader corporate initiatives. Unfortunately, this can leave your team without the necessary tools to navigate updates, troubleshoot issues, or maximize the platform’s capabilities.

Impact on Pricing & Contracts

In this situation, post-acquisition pricing changes are common as new owners seek to maximize return on investment. Review your current contract terms carefully, focusing on:

• Price protection clauses
• Contract renewal terms
• Contract termination options
• Data export capabilities
• Service level agreements

Assessing Data Security and Integration

Corporate acquisitions often lead to changes in technology infrastructure. Consider the following as it relates to date security:

• Will your data be migrated to new systems?
• How will existing integrations with other business systems be affected?
• What security protocols will the new owner implement?
• How will your data be used by the new owner?

Exploring Alternative Solutions

It is clear that the old guard of lease management tooling is evolving—and not always in ways that benefit end users. As legacy platforms are absorbed into larger tech ecosystems, innovation can slow, and user experience may take a back seat to corporate priorities.

The consolidation trend provides an opportunity to reassess your lease management needs. Modern solutions should offer:

• Intuitive User Experience: Easy-to-navigate interfaces that empower all team members, not just power users.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Seamless communication and workflow management across real estate, finance, and legal teams.
• Advanced Reporting & Analytics: Actionable insights with customizable dashboards and robust reporting features.
• Scalable Flexibility: Solutions that grow with your portfolio and adapt to changing compliance requirements.
• Continuous Innovation: A product roadmap that is driven by user feedback and the evolving needs of commercial tenants.

Why Occupier Stands Out:

Founded by two commercial real estate veterans, Matt Giffune and Andrew Flint, Occupier was born out of a realization that tenant-side teams were underserved by existing technology. With over two decades of experience as brokers at JLL and as leaders at VTS, they saw firsthand how legacy tools were clunky, difficult to use, and created siloed workflows that stifled productivity. Determined to bridge this gap, they built Occupier to empower commercial tenants with a modern, intuitive solution designed to streamline lease management and collaboration.

In a market where lease management tools are rapidly consolidating, partnering with a focused, tenant-centric platform is more important than ever. Occupier’s lease management software is designed specifically for commercial tenants, delivering:

• A dedicated focus on tenant needs without conflicting priorities
• Continuous product development driven by customer feedback 
• Investment in AI lease management workflows
• Stable, predictable pricing models
• Comprehensive lease accounting and management features
• Expert support from team members who understand tenant challenges

As the lease management software market continues to evolve, maintaining control over your lease management processes becomes increasingly critical. Whether you’re affected by recent acquisitions or simply planning for the future, now is the time to ensure your lease management solution aligns with your organization’s long-term goals.