Petra Durnin: You Don't Need More Tech — You Need Better Data

Petra Durnin shares her insights on data strategy, AI adoption pitfalls, and what firms must do to thrive in the next era of commercial real estate.The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence. In this episode, host Adam Siegel sits down with Petra Durnin, a 25-year commercial real estate veteran and tech-to-impact strategist, to discuss the latest trends, insights, and strategies shaping the industry. They explore Petra's journey from liberal arts temp to research and data leader at some of CRE's most prominent firms, including CBRE and Raises Commercial Real Estate, which was acquired by JLL.They also delve into the critical importance of clean data foundations before layering in AI, the evolving role of researchers and analysts, and why firms that invest in strong data infrastructure will define the next era of the industry. Petra shares her contrarian take that the industry doesn't need more technology tools — it needs to better utilize the ones it already has.Introduction to The Crexi Podcast How Petra Got Her Start as a CRE Temp Becoming Indispensable: Taking Over Market Reports Growing from Analyst to Director Pushing the Curve: Technology and Data Visualization Moving to Raise Commercial Real Estate How Clean Data Drives Better Broker Decisions Finding the Aha Moment with Technology Adoption Building a Ground-Up Tool Nobody Had What Made Raises Different from the Competition Listening to Clients and Reducing Friction Seeing the Client Through the Broker's Eyes JLL Acquisition: Validation of the Vision Moving Upstream: Product and Data Strategy Curiosity as a Career Superpower Making Research Teams Strategic Partners Career Advice: Stay Curious The Universal Data Challenges Across CRE Firms Why AI Won't Fix Bad Data Data Silos and the Danger of Hoarding Information What AI Does Best — and Where It Still Falls Short The Bridge Between Brokerage and Technology The "Tech-to-Impact Strategist": Connective Tissue Getting Brokers to Actually Adopt New Tools Is Technology an Expense or an Investment? Why Brokers Lose Touch with Clients After the Deal The Power of Aggregation Over Individual Deals Fix Your Data Foundation Before Layering in AIHow Researcher and Analyst Roles Are Evolving Hiring for Curiosity Over Pedigree Rapid Fire Questions & Contrarian TakesWhat Makes Petra Optimistic About CRE in 2026 About Petra Durnin:Petra Durnin is a 20-plus-year commercial real estate veteran who has spent her career growing and supporting some of the most successful brokers and analysts in the industry. She has led research, data, and product strategy across global firms, helping organizations translate technology, market intelligence, and data into practical tools that drive better decisions and stronger performance.Petra’s superpower lies in connecting technology, research, and human behavior. From startups to global platforms, she has built and scaled data and insight strategies that enable teams to work smarter in an increasingly complex market, turning information into actionable insight and insight into impact.She believes commercial real estate is entering a critical period of transformation, and that firms who invest in strong data foundations and insight-driven strategy will define the next era of the industry. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog.Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide. Follow Crexi:https://www.crexi.com/​ https://www.crexi.com/instagram​ https://www.crexi.com/facebook​ https://www.crexi.com/twitter​ https://www.crexi.com/linkedin​ https://www.youtube.com/crexi