CenterSquare Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Asset allocation decisions shouldn’t leave you guessing.

If you’re researching CenterSquare, you’re probably struggling to find a real asset manager who balances public and private real estate strategies—without sacrificing transparency or performance.

The reality is, with most platforms, you end up unclear about actual portfolio risks and spend hours piecing together fragmented data that slows you down.

That’s where CenterSquare stands out. Their in-depth active management means your portfolio gains from both listed and direct real estate investing, while their ESG integration helps drive real, long-term results. I’ve dug into how CenterSquare’s unique mix of data-driven processes, sustainability, and off-market sourcing sets them apart from other managers.

In this review, you’ll see how CenterSquare’s approach actually delivers clarity and control for your portfolio, whether you’re managing institutional capital or private wealth.

Throughout this CenterSquare review, I’ll cover core features, real-world use cases, pricing, and how CenterSquare compares with top alternatives, so you’ll feel confident in your evaluation process.

You’ll walk away with the features you need to compare, understand, and decide if CenterSquare fits your investment goals.

Let’s dive in.

CenterSquare Overview

CenterSquare is an established, employee-owned real asset manager headquartered just outside Philadelphia. Since their founding in 1987, they have focused exclusively on specialized real estate and infrastructure investments.

They primarily work with sophisticated institutional and private investors who demand more than a generic market approach. I think their deep expertise across both public and private real estate markets gives them a unique, integrated viewpoint.

Recent developments like a new headquarters and strong fund performance signal healthy, deliberate growth. We’ll explore what this actually means for you through this CenterSquare review.

Unlike larger managers such as Nuveen, CenterSquare’s key advantage isn’t pure scale. Instead, it’s their holistic view of real asset markets, which gives your portfolio a distinct and truly actionable information edge.

With over $14 billion in managed assets, you’ll find them partnering with institutional clients and private investors who require a trusted fiduciary approach for their complex, long-term portfolios.

From what I’ve seen, their strategic focus on ESG integration is more than just marketing. It feels genuinely baked into their core investment process to enhance the long-term performance and resilience of your portfolio.

Now let’s analyze their core strategies.

CenterSquare Features

Tired of scattered real estate investments?

CenterSquare solutions offer an integrated approach to real asset management. Here are the five core CenterSquare solutions that help institutional investors optimize their portfolios.

1. Listed Real Estate

Struggling to find an edge in public real estate markets?

Navigating the complexities of publicly traded REITs and infrastructure can be overwhelming. You might miss key opportunities without deep market insights.

CenterSquare’s Listed Real Estate solution uses sophisticated models to assess ESG attributes and engage with management teams. From my testing, their data-driven approach provides a clear informational advantage for identifying market opportunities and making informed decisions.

This means you can gain deeper insights and potentially better returns from your publicly traded real estate investments.

2. Private Equity Real Estate

Is finding off-market private real estate deals a challenge?

Sourcing high-value private real estate assets often requires extensive networks. Without direct access, you might miss out on prime investment opportunities.

CenterSquare’s Private Equity Real Estate focuses on direct investments, with a significant portion sourced off-market. What I love about this approach is how their Value-Added Fund series actively enhances environmental and social impact while creating significant value.

This means you could access exclusive deals and benefit from active management that boosts asset value and sustainability.

3. Private Real Estate Debt

Need flexible financing solutions for real estate projects?

Traditional debt financing can be rigid and limited, making it hard to fund unique real estate ventures. This often restricts your investment strategies.

This solution provides crucial debt financing for various real estate projects, complementing their equity investments. What I found is that this broadens their spectrum of real asset strategies, giving you more options than just direct property ownership.

This means you can diversify your real estate portfolio beyond equity, accessing different risk-return profiles.

4. Strategic Capital

Looking for unique, opportunistic real asset investments?

Sometimes, the best opportunities don’t fit into standard investment categories. You need flexibility to capitalize on broader market trends.

CenterSquare’s Strategic Capital encompasses a range of broader real asset investments beyond typical listed or private equity. This solution allows them to pursue more opportunistic and tailored investment strategies that might not fit neatly into other categories.

This means you can explore more diverse and perhaps higher-growth real asset opportunities that traditional avenues might overlook.

5. ESG Integration

Are your investments truly aligned with sustainability goals?

Simply claiming sustainability isn’t enough; you need tangible proof of ESG commitment. Without it, your portfolio might lack resilience and long-term value.

CenterSquare truly integrates ESG factors across all investment strategies, with a Global ESG Lead guiding due diligence. This is where CenterSquare shines: they assess everything from coastal risk to tenant health, aiming for enhanced performance and resiliency.

This means you can invest with confidence, knowing your portfolio is built on a foundation of responsible and forward-thinking practices.

You’ll appreciate how these CenterSquare features work together, creating a cohesive investment framework that helps you achieve diverse real asset portfolio objectives.

CenterSquare Pricing

Navigating investment management fees can be complex.

CenterSquare pricing operates on a custom, negotiated basis, reflecting their role as an investment firm managing significant assets rather than a typical software vendor.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Understanding their unique approach.

CenterSquare’s pricing model is not a subscription like SaaS; it involves investment management fees. These fees are negotiated based on your assets, specific investment strategies (e.g., Listed Real Estate, Private Equity), and the overall size of your portfolio. There are no public tiers or standard CenterSquare pricing.

From my cost analysis, this means your costs are directly tied to the scale and complexity of your investment portfolio.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

What’s the value for your money?

Instead of software features, your investment provides access to actively managed real estate and infrastructure expertise. CenterSquare’s ability to identify value and manage risk, as seen in their fund performance, can mean significant returns on your capital. This translates to portfolio growth and strategic asset management.

From my cost analysis, this approach helps your capital achieve specific investment objectives rather than just providing a tool.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Consider your long-term investment.

There are no typical “implementation” or “hidden” software costs; instead, focus on the management fees as a component of your overall investment return. What I found regarding pricing is that your total cost of ownership is intrinsically linked to your portfolio’s performance, as fees are a percentage of assets.

So for your investment strategy, you’ll need to discuss specific fee structures directly with their investor relations team.

My Take: CenterSquare’s pricing is built for institutional and private investors, reflecting asset management fees that align directly with portfolio size and strategic objectives rather than standard software subscriptions.

The overall CenterSquare pricing reflects negotiated investment management fees for sophisticated capital.

CenterSquare Reviews

What do actual clients say?

Analyzing CenterSquare reviews involves looking at client relationships and reported engagements, as traditional software review platforms don’t apply to their investment management services.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Clients seem consistently satisfied.

From my review analysis, CenterSquare emphasizes a “Relentless Client Focus” and “Unwavering Accountability,” which likely translates into high client satisfaction. What impressed me most is how their values suggest strong client-centric partnerships, fostering trust and long-term relationships for their institutional and private investors.

This indicates you can expect a highly dedicated and responsible approach to your investments.

2. Common Praise Points

Their data-driven insights earn consistent praise.

Clients benefit from CenterSquare’s use of sophisticated ESG models and data from sources like GRESB and Bloomberg. From my analysis, their commitment to data-driven engagement with REITs and active management of real assets provides transparency and informed decision-making opportunities for clients.

This means you’ll gain valuable insights and a clear understanding of your portfolio’s performance.

3. Frequent Complaints

Specific complaints are hard to pinpoint.

Given CenterSquare’s focus on institutional clients and lack of public software-style reviews, concrete “complaints” aren’t readily available. However, in this high-stakes investment environment, any missteps in performance or communication would naturally be critical.

This suggests client relationships are managed discreetly, with direct feedback likely handled privately.

Overall, CenterSquare’s approach highlights a strong emphasis on client satisfaction and data-driven engagement for their sophisticated investors.

Best CenterSquare Alternatives

Too many real asset investment options?

The best CenterSquare alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations and priorities, from global reach to specialized strategies.

1. Clarion Partners

Seeking diverse real estate fund structures?

Clarion Partners excels if you need a manager with a particularly diverse set of fund structures, including commingled funds and separate accounts, across core real estate. What I found comparing options is that Clarion has a long-standing reputation in core real estate, offering broad investment vehicles as an alternative.

Choose Clarion Partners for a wider range of fund structures and established core real estate expertise.

2. CBRE Investment Management

Need extensive global reach and market insights?

CBRE Investment Management provides unique market insights and deal flow due to its integration with CBRE’s broader real estate services. From my competitive analysis, CBRE offers an extensive global network and an integrated approach to real estate, ideal for large-scale international portfolios.

Consider this alternative for unparalleled global market access and integrated real estate services.

3. BentallGreenOak

Prioritizing ESG and direct property investments?

BentallGreenOak has a strong focus on sustainability and ESG, often with a larger direct property portfolio and significant presence in debt strategies. Alternative-wise, BentallGreenOak emphasizes strong ESG integration and extensive direct property investment capabilities compared to CenterSquare’s broader focus.

Choose BentallGreenOak for a pronounced commitment to ESG and direct property investment expertise.

4. Nuveen Real Estate

Managing very large institutional investments?

Nuveen Real Estate’s sheer scale and diverse product offerings cater to very large institutional investors with a wide array of strategies. From my competitive analysis, Nuveen offers extensive global portfolio scale and a broad range of investment strategies, making it a powerful alternative for enterprise-level needs.

Consider this alternative if your investment scale requires a manager with vast global reach and diverse offerings.

The best CenterSquare alternatives depend on your specific investment strategy and portfolio scale, not just asset classes.

CenterSquare Setup

What does CenterSquare implementation truly entail?

Understanding the CenterSquare review implementation process is crucial. This isn’t a traditional software deployment, but rather a consultative onboarding, so set realistic expectations.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Not a typical software installation.

CenterSquare’s setup involves deep discussions to align investment objectives, risk tolerance, and compliance. What I found about deployment is that it requires thorough communication and coordination, not technical configuration, impacting your timeline.

You’ll need to allocate significant time for detailed discussions and legal documentation, not technical build-out.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Minimal technical lift on your end.

Your technical requirements are primarily standard internet access for communication and report viewing, as CenterSquare manages its own internal platforms. From my implementation analysis, there are no specific client-side hardware or software requirements, simplifying your preparation considerably.

Plan for secure communication channels, but don’t anticipate needing a dedicated IT team for this “implementation.”

3. Training & Change Management

Focus on education, not software training.

Clients won’t undergo software training; instead, the focus is on ongoing education regarding market insights and portfolio performance. From my analysis, adoption hinges on consistent communication and access to their insightful reports and updates, not user proficiency.

Prepare your team for an ongoing dialogue and information absorption rather than system learning curves.

4. Support & Success Factors

Client focus is paramount for success.

CenterSquare emphasizes “Relentless Client Focus” and “Consistent Teamwork,” suggesting robust support throughout your engagement. What I found about deployment is that their trusted fiduciary approach ensures high responsiveness, which is critical for long-term partnership success.

Prioritize clear communication channels and proactive engagement to maximize your investment outcomes and client satisfaction.

Overall, CenterSquare setup focuses on consultative onboarding and ongoing relationship building rather than technical deployment, which is a key distinction.

Bottom Line

Is CenterSquare the right investment manager for you?

My CenterSquare review offers a deep dive into its value proposition, helping you determine if their actively managed real asset strategies align with your portfolio goals.

1. Who This Works Best For

Sophisticated institutional and private investors.

CenterSquare is ideal for pension funds, endowments, sovereign wealth funds, and high-net-worth individuals seeking expert management of real estate and infrastructure investments. What I found about target users is that firms prioritizing diversification through real assets benefit most from their specialized focus and deep market insights across both public and private markets.

You’ll succeed if your investment strategy values active management, risk mitigation, and integrated ESG considerations in real assets.

2. Overall Strengths

Unmatched expertise in public/private real assets.

The firm excels through its “Public/Private Real Estate Advantage,” offering a holistic view of market opportunities by leveraging insights from both listed and private investment landscapes. From my comprehensive analysis, their commitment to active ESG integration into investment processes aligns with growing demand for responsible investing.

These strengths translate into a unique information advantage and portfolio diversification for your specific real asset investment objectives.

3. Key Limitations

Limited public access to detailed product information.

A primary drawback is the typical institutional nature of CenterSquare, meaning specifics on investment products and fee structures are not readily available to the public. Based on this review, potential clients must engage directly to obtain comprehensive details on their offerings.

I’d say these limitations are a standard aspect of institutional firms rather than a critical flaw that would hinder their target clientele.

4. Final Recommendation

CenterSquare receives a strong recommendation.

You should choose CenterSquare if your firm is a sophisticated institutional or private investor needing expert, actively managed real asset exposure with a commitment to integrated market insights and sustainability. From my analysis, their specialized focus on real estate and infrastructure provides a distinct advantage for targeted portfolios.

My confidence level is high for their target sophisticated investor audience seeking dedicated real asset management expertise.

This CenterSquare review highlights strong value for its targeted sophisticated investors while acknowledging the need for direct engagement for specific details.