Data quality is a direct predictor of fundraising success and a firm's competitive viability

London, 20 October 2025 – Vistra Fund Solutions, a leading global fund services provider, in partnership with Funds Global Intelligence, the investment research and analytics arm of Funds Europe, today launch a global report uncovering a seismic shift in real estate fund management, driven by the critical convergence of data quality, governance, and technology. 

The report, based on a global survey of over 165 real estate investment professionals, delivers a detailed analysis of the transformative trends, challenges and opportunities facing the sector as it adapts to rapid technological change and increasing regulatory scrutiny. The study identifies data standardisation and governance as mission-critical, with AI and predictive analytics now at the forefront of innovation. However, legacy systems, fragmented data, and compliance hurdles are threatening to hold back sector-wide transformation.

Key insights from the report include:

• Data quality is make or break: Despite 90% of respondents rating their data as “good” or “excellent”, nearly two-thirds of real estate managers surveyed admit that poor data has already restricted their ability to raise capital or forced them to abandon strategies altogether.
• Lack of standardisation is eroding confidence: Differences in charts of accounts and inconsistent data formats are slowing down processes, creating errors, and undermining investor confidence at a time when transparency is paramount.
• Reporting is under the spotlight: Financial and performance reporting is the top priority with respondents ranking this as the area most in need of high-quality data, especially among larger firms.
• AI’s promise depends on governance: AI and other tools are becoming increasingly important across the real estate value chain, but their effectiveness is dependent on clean, standardised, and well-governed data.

Abdel Hmitti, President of Vistra Fund Solutions, commented: “Poor data quality is a systemic risk in our industry that is undermining fundraising, eroding investor trust, and jeopardising compliance. In this environment, high-quality data is a decisive competitive advantage. That’s why Vistra is leading a cross-industry initiative to establish a universal chart of accounts for real estate. We are committed to providing our clients with the clarity they need to adapt, and lead."

The report also reveals regional nuances in technological priorities and expectations around AI transformation, underscoring how local market forces are shaping AI adoption.

• In Europe, there is a strong focus on sustainability with nearly half (47%) of firms prioritising AI for enhancing ESG performance and reporting.
• In North America, the priorities for high-quality data are cited as both financial reporting and risk management, with risk management outpacing other regions, likely driven by intense investor scrutiny and market fragmentation.
• In APAC and the Middle East, financial and performance reporting dominate as the top priority for high-quality data, cited far more frequently than other data needs, signalling growing investor sophistication and complex cross-border capital flows.

Reflecting on the findings, Jonathan Boyd, Editor of Funds Europe, said: “The reality of real estate data uncovered by the research can be described as ‘must do better’. Data quality issues are a challenge faced daily by real estate investment professionals across the globe. However, as also noted, where data standards can be agreed and relevant technology adopted, then those same investment professionals point to the additional potential that could be unleashed from what many see as the world’s oldest asset class.”

Download the full report: The complete Data at the Crossroads: How quality, governance and AI are reshaping real estate investment management report is available for download here.

For further information, please contact: 

Ellie King  
[email protected]

About Vistra 

Vistra is a leading provider of essential business services to help companies and private capital funds grow across the entire business and investment lifecycle.

Here at Vistra, our purpose is progress. As a close ally to our clients, our role is to remove the friction that comes from the complexity of global business. We partner with companies and private capital managers along the corporate and private capital lifecycle. For companies we offer payroll and HR, tax and accounting, and entity management to support governance and regulatory compliance. For fund managers we deliver all the fund set-up, administration and operational support required to maximise fund performance and value. We quietly fix the operational and administrative frustrations that hamper business growth. With over 9,000 experts in more than 170 countries, we can accelerate progress, improve processes, and reduce risk, wherever your ambition takes you.

For more information about Vistra, visit vistra.com

About Funds Global Intelligence

Headquartered in London, Funds Global Intelligence is the investment research and analytics arm of Funds Europe.

Funds Europe delivers key insights into Europe’s cross-border funds market on behalf of institutional investment professionals. Its coverage goes across the ecosystem, including public & private markets, fund & asset management, asset servicing, fundtech and regulatory developments affecting the industry.

For more information, visit funds-europe.com