What Will RCM’s LightBox Merger Mean for Users?

LightBox’s recent acquisition of Real Capital Markets has given the global commercial real estate marketplace a swift data boost. For brokers, that is great news. According to leaders at the company, the access to data will allow users to make even better, more informed investment decisions. In commercial real estate, that is the goal. In the long term, however, the merger will set RCM up for more long-term growth and proves they are serious about technology and software performance.

“RCM’s growth will continue to be tied to offering better, more powerful software that allows commercial brokers and brokerages to make better-informed decisions and work more efficiently,” Tina Lichens, COO of Real Capital Markets, tells GlobeSt.com. “We’ve built a tremendous track record of success by embracing innovation, being a catalyst for change and developing client-focused systems and solutions.”

The merger illustrates RCM’s commitment to technology as well as its strategy to drive growth through technology, according to Lichens. In addition, the firm will pursue growth through professional relationships. “By joining the LightBox family, we are taking this focus to a new level by being part of an organization whose objective is to provide real estate professionals with greater transparency, efficiency and insight at every decision point in a property’s lifecycle,” says Lichens. “As we create opportunities for our clients, we’ll also be able to expand our existing relationships and establish new ones across the globe.”

While this is big news for RCM, it also shows a clear turn for the commercial real estate industry and an understanding of the important role technology will play in making decisions. “Regardless of which point you are at in the lifecycle of a property, incredible amounts of data and information are required to facilitate and make decisions,” adds Lichens. “The data and information are what connects all the pieces—buyers, sellers, appraisers, lenders and engineers, among many others. And with LightBox, we are able to bring that all together to reduce the fragmentation that exists in the industry.”

Above all, the adoption of more and better technology is about meeting client’s needs. “In the world of commercial real estate, regardless of the position in the cycle, service providers are driven by clients’ objectives to work better and faster. Our organization knows that providing an integrated set of capabilities enables them to optimize efficiency and increase the number and velocity of closed transactions,” says Lichens. “With all of the capabilities LightBox has to offer, our clients will have an improved experience with less redundancies. In addition, they will be able to connect the dots across a property lifecycle in ways that have never been envisioned before. In the end it will all translate to greater transparency, less fragmentation, more insights, and ultimately a better process.”