The impact of AI in the PropTech Industry

With tighter margins, many are turning to technology to improve efficiency, while maintaining a high level of service for both tenants and property owners. This article explores how Zig, a Dutch software company, is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve maintenance processes in the housing sector – not by experimenting with abstract technologies, but by solving specific, real-world challenges faced by housing organizations.

Zig develops digital tools for real estate organizations, with a focus on housing associations, student housing, and commercial property management. The company works with more than 225 clients, including Rochdale, Bouwinvest, MVGM, Vesteda in the Netherlands and companies such as Adler, LEG and degewo in Germany. Together, these clients manage over 2.5 million homes. Zig has a team of more than 275 employees.

As part of the Main Capital Partners portfolio, Zig benefits from Main’s role as a strategic partner with deep expertise in the European property management software market. Main sees AI as one of the most transformative developments in the industry: a catalyst for improving efficiency, enabling data-driven decision-making, and enhancing the tenant experience. To support this vision, Main organizes initiatives such as the CTO Days and Main Tech Days: practical, hands-on sessions where portfolio companies share knowledge, explore emerging technologies, and develop ideas.

For Zig, these sessions have played an important role in accelerating its AI journey. By leveraging access to expertise and strategic guidance, Zig has been able to test, refine, and deliver AI-driven solutions faster: turning innovation into practical, production-ready features that solve real challenges for housing organizations.One of the company’s key offerings is an ERP solution specifically designed for the housing industry. Built on Microsoft Dynamics 365, this cloud-based system streamlines key back-office operations, such as rental management, property sales, finance, and administration, and is further enhanced with housing-specific functionality.

Zig is also part of the Microsoft Red Carpet Program, which recognizes a select group of independent software vendors (ISVs) working with Microsoft Business Central. Zig’s participation signals Microsoft’s confidence in its approach to innovation in the housing domain. The collaboration goes beyond technology; it includes a mutual exchange of expertise and the development of AI solutions that meet the needs of housing organizations. Zig also offers certified extensions via Microsoft AppSource, helping customers automate and connect their processes in a secure and reliable way.

The article will explore two examples of how Zig has applied AI in practice. Rather than using AI for its own sake, the company started by identifying real problems faced by its customers and then looked at how AI could help solve them; it’s in Zig’s DNA of focus on customer value first.

Property Advertisements

For housing associations managing extensive portfolios, curating compelling and accurate rental advertisements can be a time-consuming task. Employees often spend considerable time writing descriptions, even though most of the required property data is already available.

To solve his, Zig developed an AI-driven solution that automatically generates rental advertisements using detailed property data. If a property has a south-facing garden, for example, the AI includes it in the listing. It even draws on trusted public sources to add relevant local features, like nearby schools, combining data from both its internal resources and reputable public databases. The tone of voice adjusts subtly depending on the property’s location.

The process follows several steps. First, an AI system generates the ad text, including all relevant features. Then, a second AI checks the content for factual accuracy, such as whether the number of rooms and square meters matches the underlying data. Finally, a human reviewer conducts a last check before publication. The human role shifts from writing the ad to supervising the AI, stepping in mainly for approval.

This functionality feature was first developed during the Microsoft SaaS Innovation Days, a two-day hackathon organized exclusively for Main Capital portfolio companies. Zig was one of the four participants. With guidance from Microsoft experts and partners like Intercept they cooperated to create AI-driven proof of concepts. This event provides a fast-paced environment to explore new technologies with expert guidance and helps accelerate the journey from experimentation to production-ready features that deliver real value.

Maintenance Intake Automation

Maintenance management can be technically complex. Tenants often struggle to clearly describe the issue in their repair requests, while intake employees need a detailed understanding of both the property and the reported problem to match it to the right maintenance repair.

Zig’s AI-powered maintenance intake system accepts both natural language and images – often a better way an issue than words alone. To narrow down the list of possible repair tasks, a model classifies what room the image belongs to. In the next step, the model matches the identified issue to the remaining list of tasks and selects the most appropriate type of maintenance. It also provides practical details to support the technician. For example, it can specify the type of door and suggest which tools to bring.

With every new photo it processes, the model continues to improve, learning from each individual case.

“The AI helps us filter vague requests and assign the right task much faster.  It’s like a smart second pair of eyes.”

AI as the Flywheel, not the finish line

Zig’s main takeaway from developing AI solutions is the importance of testing the solution with real users. Some challenges only come apparent when the system is used in practice. For example, they found that tenants often wait until several issues have accumulated before submitting a repair request – a behavioral pattern the original design hadn’t accounted for.

This experience underlined a core principle: AI should be developed with both process efficiency and real user behavior in mind. The goal is to augment, not replace, human judgment.

Will AI eventually take over the property management sector? The answer is no. While AI can streamline operations and reduce manual tasks, human expertise remains vital – particularly in more complex decisions, as Zig’s experience shows.

The industry is expected to undergo a gradual shift, with employees moving from execution to oversight roles, focusing on guiding and critically assessing AI systems. Realizing this potential, however, depends on overcoming barriers like fragmented data, resistance to change, cost concern.

Companies like Zig that invest in AI infrastructure, workforce training, and strategic partnerships will be better positioned to lead this transformation making property management more efficient, more responsive, and ultimately more human.

Zig’s approach to AI is rooted in solving practical problems. Rather than treating AI as a standalone initiative, the company embeds it into core processes – always with the goal of making housing management more efficient, more responsive, and easier for the people doing the work. As they put it:

“AI is not the endpoint, but the connecting force in the flywheel. It sets your data in motion and strengthens your processes, making your organization a little smarter every day.”