The 2026 edition builds on the first Centralization Playbook, which we released last year. It reflects what we’ve learned since, working with 150+ operators on putting the playbook into practice, and the broader work of changing how their operations run. This new edition comes with updated frameworks, new sections and refreshed guidance throughout.
Get the digital version HERE. Learn more about our centralization program HERE.
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The time to centralize is now
85% of property managers are planning, piloting or scaling centralization. Here’s how centralization has impacted our customers:
- +1.2% occupancy
- +200-300 bps in collections
- +$380 annual NOI lift per unit from central leasing & admin
What we’ve learned the past year
A few things that stood out this year:
- Adoption is accelerating across the industry, and the focus has clearly moved from whether to centralize to how to execute it.
- Centralization is working well beyond large market-rate multifamily. Affordable operators, SFR, SMB, and fee managers are all seeing real operational and financial returns.
- AI and technology are advancing fast enough to expand what a central team can take on, which raises the ceiling on how far operators can scale.
- Fee managers are starting to treat centralized services as a revenue stream in their own right, not just a way to cut costs.
- Compliance is getting harder and riskier for onsite teams to manage, and affordable operators are moving faster to bring dedicated compliance and eligibility work to a central team.
- Change management is still the hardest part, and it's where operators should put the most time and energy to get it right.
New sections for every type of operator
One of the biggest shifts we saw is who centralization is working for. It used to be mostly large, market-rate multifamily operators. Over the past year, affordable operators, fee managers, smaller portfolios and single-family operators have adapted these strategies to work for their specific needs.
This edition features dedicated sections for:
- Affordable - Built around the compliance and eligibility pressures specific to affordable operators, and what it looks like to move that work to a central team.
- Fee managers - How to turn centralization into a revenue stream, from pricing it into owner agreements to using it to win and keep business.
- SMB - What centralization looks like for smaller portfolios, where the value extends well beyond the usual large-operator math.
- Single family rental - These operators are already largely centralized, so this section is about optimization. Redesigning workflows around AI and field teams so each handles what it's best suited for.
Get the updated playbook
If centralization is on your roadmap or already underway, the new edition is built to meet you where things stand now. For questions or guidance on how to implement the playbook, reach out to our team at centralization@eliseai.com.
→ Get the digital version HERE
→ Learn more about our centralization program HERE