When I started selling apartments in the early 2000s, strata technology meant a noticeboard in the lobby and a filing cabinet of meeting minutes. Building management was paper-based, communication happened through letterboxes, and owners had limited visibility into how their levies were being spent.

That world has transformed. Modern strata buildings—and increasingly, older buildings upgrading their systems—now run on sophisticated technology platforms. For buyers, understanding this technology is becoming as important as checking the building’s physical condition.

The New Strata Management Platforms

Strata management has been digitised. Platforms like Strata Community Australia-affiliated software, Stratabox, and building-specific portals now handle:

Financial management: Real-time access to building accounts, levy payment tracking, expense reporting. Owners can see exactly where their money goes.

Document storage: Meeting minutes, bylaws, maintenance records, insurance certificates—all searchable online rather than buried in physical files.

Communication: Announcements, voting, AGM participation, contact with building managers. Gone are the days of missed notices because someone cleared their letterbox.

Maintenance tracking: Work orders, contractor management, scheduled maintenance, defect tracking. Transparency that holds strata managers accountable.

For buyers, the quality of these systems signals broader strata management quality. A building with sophisticated technology is typically better run than one stuck on paper-based processes.

Smart Building Technology

New developments increasingly incorporate “smart building” features that older buildings lack:

Access control: Phone-based entry, visitor management systems, delivery lockers with notification. Convenience features that residents genuinely use.

Energy management: Centralised HVAC monitoring, smart lighting in common areas, solar integration with battery storage. These reduce levies while improving sustainability.

Security systems: CCTV with digital storage, intercom systems with video and smartphone integration, automated monitoring.

Parking technology: Automated parking stackers, EV charging infrastructure, digital parking management. Increasingly important as electric vehicle adoption grows.

What Buyers Should Check

When inspecting strata properties, savvy buyers now ask about technology:

Strata management platform

• What system does the building use?
• Can owners access financials and documents online?
• How is communication handled?

Building infrastructure

• Internet connectivity—is NBN available to the building and in what form?
• Mobile coverage inside units
• Common area WiFi if applicable

Security and access

• How does access control work?
• Can it be managed remotely?
• What’s the backup if systems fail?

Future-proofing

• Is there EV charging infrastructure or plans for it?
• What technology upgrades are in the capital works plan?
• Is the building set up for smart home integration?

The Body Corporate Technology Gap

Older strata buildings often lag significantly in technology adoption. This creates both problems and opportunities.

Problems for owners of older buildings:

• Higher administrative costs from manual processes
• Less transparency in building management
• Difficulty attracting quality strata managers
• Lower buyer appeal when selling

Opportunities:

• Technology upgrades can be implemented through special resolutions
• Costs are often modest relative to benefits
• Progressive strata committees can drive modernisation
• Early adopters in older buildings gain competitive advantages when selling

Buyers considering older strata buildings should check whether the owners corporation has plans for technology improvements and whether there’s capital reserve to fund them.

Strata Technology Red Flags

Certain technology situations should concern buyers:

No online access to building documents: This suggests outdated management practices and potentially poor record-keeping.

Resistance to technology from strata committee: Some committees actively resist modernisation. This creates ongoing frustration for tech-enabled owners.

Proprietary systems with single-vendor lock-in: Some developers install building management systems that can only be serviced by specific companies, creating ongoing costs and dependencies.

Poor internet infrastructure: In older buildings, internet delivery through the communications room may be substandard. This is expensive to retrofit.

Outdated security systems: Systems that can’t be remotely monitored or managed create ongoing manual security costs.

The Agent’s Role

Agents selling strata properties should understand and communicate technology features:

In listings: Highlight meaningful technology features—smart access, building management portals, quality internet infrastructure. These differentiate properties.

During inspections: Be prepared to demonstrate access systems and explain building technology. Buyers increasingly ask detailed questions.

In buyer conversations: Understand how technology affects levies, convenience, and resale value. Technology-forward buildings often command premiums.

When advising vendors: If the building lacks technology features, set appropriate price expectations. The gap between modern and dated buildings is widening.

Looking Forward

Strata technology will continue evolving:

Predictive maintenance: AI systems that identify equipment issues before failure, reducing emergency repair costs and inconvenience.

Autonomous building management: Systems that optimise energy use, adjust common area climate control, and manage lighting without manual intervention.

Enhanced security: Facial recognition, automated visitor tracking, integration with emergency services.

Community features: Booking systems for amenities, neighbourhood apps, shared resource platforms.

Buildings designed today will operate very differently from those built even five years ago. The technology gap between generations of buildings is significant and growing.

Practical Advice

For buyers:

• Request access to the strata management portal during due diligence
• Check internet options and mobile coverage inside the unit
• Ask about planned technology upgrades and their funding
• Consider the technology gap when comparing properties

For owners in older buildings:

• Advocate for technology improvements through your strata committee
• Research costs and benefits of management platform upgrades
• Consider long-term value when voting on technology proposals

For agents:

• Learn to explain building technology confidently
• Include relevant technology features in marketing
• Understand how technology affects property values in your market

The days when strata purchases focused solely on unit features and levies are ending. Building technology is now a material factor in both lifestyle and value. Smart participants in the strata market understand this shift and respond accordingly.

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Linda Powers consults on real estate technology adoption, including advising agencies on effectively marketing strata properties. Her Sydney career included extensive apartment sales across multiple market cycles.