In commercial real estate, decisions worth millions of dollars are often made with incomplete information.
While most operators focus heavily on interior improvements, rent comps, and expense ratios, few can answer basic but critical questions about their building exteriors: What is the true condition of the roof? How much useful life remains in the façade? Where are the risks—and how are they trending over time?
That blind spot is exactly where Thomas Homsi, founder of Altiora, is building leverage—by turning exterior building data into a strategic asset rather than an afterthought.
Exterior Data: The Category Most Portfolios Don’t Systematically Track
“Every portfolio has data on rents, operating costs, and tenant improvements,” Homsi says. “But almost no one tracks the physical performance of their building envelope in any systematic way.”
Roofs degrade. Façades crack. Moisture intrusion begins subtly and compounds over time. Yet many operators lack a documented, comparable history of exterior conditions across their assets.
“That level of opacity might be tolerable in strong markets,” Homsi adds. “But when capital tightens and insurers become more selective, not knowing becomes expensive.”
Why Altiora Treats Inspections as Infrastructure, Not Events
Altiora isn’t just in the inspection business—it’s in the data business. But not the buzzword-heavy, dashboard-driven kind.
Homsi has built disciplined, repeatable infrastructure for one of the most overlooked—and financially risky—categories in real estate: exterior asset condition. Altiora delivers standardized, insurance-grade inspections across office, multifamily, retail, and industrial assets, all executed with zero disruption to tenants or daily operations.
More importantly, the data is structured so it becomes usable, comparable, and cumulative at the portfolio level.
What Altiora’s Data Captures That Others Don’t
Each Altiora inspection follows a defined data-gathering protocol, not a subjective site walk.
Reports include:
- Condition scores by exterior component
- Estimated remaining useful life
- Historical trend comparisons
- Timestamped photographic documentation
- Moisture and drainage risk assessments
- Maintenance backlog indicators
All findings are captured in a standardized format that allows owners to evaluate assets apples-to-apples, regardless of geography or asset class.
“Owners shouldn’t have to interpret five different roof reports from five different vendors,” Homsi explains. “Consistency is what makes the data strategic. Clean data compounds.”
From Documentation to Faster, Better Decisions
What differentiates Altiora’s approach is not just compliance—it’s how clients use the data to make better decisions.
A portfolio owner with dozens of properties can prioritize capital expenditures based on actual condition, not assumptions. An asset manager preparing for a refinance can present lenders with a multi-year exterior condition history that supports valuation. A developer can reduce perceived risk during a sale by eliminating uncertainty around the building envelope.
In one case, a portfolio client adjusted their CapEx schedule after Altiora’s inspection uncovered early-stage moisture damage in an asset previously considered “low priority.” That decision avoided a six-figure emergency repair.
“It’s not just about preventing problems,” Homsi says. “It’s about confidence. When the data is clear, decisions move faster—and capital gets deployed more intelligently.”
Why Exterior Data Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
Institutional investors, insurers, and lenders increasingly demand operational transparency—and building exteriors are one of the last major blind spots.
“Everyone is trying to de-risk portfolios,” Homsi notes. “But without reliable visibility into the exterior envelope, uncertainty still exists. That’s where our clients see the edge.”
In an environment where NOI margins are tight and capital efficiency matters more than ever, standardized exterior data informs underwriting, supports insurance conversations, and strengthens long-term planning.
This isn’t technology for technology’s sake. It’s operational intelligence.
A Portfolio System, Not a One-Off Service
Altiora’s framework is designed for scale. This is not a one-time inspection—it’s a repeatable, portfolio-ready system. As more assets are inspected under the same protocol, the data becomes more valuable, more predictive, and more strategic.
That long-term view is resonating with REITs, institutional funds, and national property managers overseeing large, geographically diverse portfolios.
“There’s a reason we don’t focus on one-off work,” Homsi says. “We built this for portfolios—because that’s where exterior data becomes a record, a shield, and a planning tool all in one.”
Clarity Is the Real Advantage
As commercial real estate faces rising costs, stricter regulations, and tighter capital markets, clarity becomes a competitive advantage.
For owners and operators managing active, occupied buildings, Thomas Homsi and Altiora offer a way to gain that clarity—without disruption, without guesswork, and without reliance on fragmented vendor networks.
“We’re not here to make buildings look impressive,” Homsi adds. “We’re here to make sure you know exactly what condition they’re in—and what that means for your business.”
Most clients begin with a pilot inspection across a subset of assets. For more insights on using exterior data to drive smarter real estate strategy, follow Thomas Homsi on LinkedIn or visit Altiora’s website.
