Banking & Digital Solutions:
Changing tenant needs create opportunities for the housing industry

Aareal Bank has been developing innovative and ground-breaking solutions for a century, providing added value for its clients. And for more than 60 years, this has also included specific solutions for the housing industry. Aareal Bank was the first German bank to offer the housing industry an electronic information system that offers automated payments, optimises processes and enables centralised data processing performed by a third-party service provider.

Aareal Bank's offering for the housing industry has continuously evolved since then. This is because the Bank swiftly and actively embraces current trends and developments in order to draw conclusions for the future of the housing industry.

Aareal trend barometer – the future of living

The Aareal trend barometer 2023 is a case in point. Its aim is to provide housing industry enterprises with an overview of current changes and challenges in their sector, and to show them how they can position themselves for the future in a dynamic market.

The Aareal trend barometer is based on a survey of around 5,000 tenants in Germany conducted at the beginning of 2023. The Bank additionally polled 150 of its business partners from the housing industry. The barometer provides a snapshot of urgent issues the industry is facing, from two different perspectives. The survey combines tenants’ views with those of housing enterprises, inviting all parties involved to join forces in order to develop solutions for the future of housing.

Focus on sustainability, infrastructure and communications

Results from the Aareal trend barometer show that tenants' ideas and wishes are changing. This places new demands on the housing industry, but is also opening up new opportunities. Around half of those surveyed attach great importance to sustainability, a future-proof infrastructure and transparent communications from their landlord, especially with regard to ancillary costs.

In addition, many people would like to see more service offerings for their own home – preferably directly from their landlord. Almost half of tenants are open to obtaining craftsman services from their landlord. More than one in three expressed an interest for arranging cleaning services for their own home. In addition, around a quarter of respondents would like to see charging points for electric vehicles.

Lars Ernst, Managing Director Banking & Digital Solutions

“Landlords who actively address these issues now have the opportunity to actively shape the future of living with new offers, and to position themselves as full-service providers for all aspects of a property.”

Lars Ernst, Managing Director Banking & Digital Solutions

A partner to the housing industry

“Landlords who actively address these issues now have the opportunity to actively shape the future of living with new offers, and to position themselves as a full-service provider for all aspects of a property”, says Lars Ernst, Managing Director, Banking & Digital Solutions at Aareal Bank. “This demands the consistent alignment of processes and services with the needs of tenants, increasing automation and enhancing cost transparency. Digital touchpoints with customers and partners need to be optimised.”

Aareal Bank Group’s solutions supports clients in aligning their business model with these new demands. This is also the purpose of the long-term cooperation agreement on First Financial, which was initiated in the 2023 financial year and concluded between the Bank and Aareon at the beginning of 2024. Clients benefit from an integrated offer of payments and software solutions at Group level. At the same time, they can continue to rely on Aareal Bank as their long-term banking partner for the institutional housing industry.