Alex Nabuco dos Santos highlights a paradox that is becoming increasingly present in the real estate market: the greater the volume of available data, the higher the risk of confused and poorly calibrated decisions. In an environment saturated with reports, indicators, expert opinions, and short-term projections, excess information stops being an advantage and starts functioning as noise. Making good decisions, in this context, does not depend on accumulating data, but on knowing how to prioritize it.
The abundance of information creates the illusion of total control. Investors feel that by accessing more sources they are reducing risk. In practice, the effect is often the opposite. The multiplicity of contradictory signals makes it harder to read the scenario and increases the likelihood of decision paralysis or choices based on fragments disconnected from the reality of the asset.
When More Data Does Not Mean More Clarity
In general, isolated data says very little. Average rates, macroeconomic projections, and sector studies help build context, but they do not replace the specific analysis of a property. As Alex Nabuco dos Santos points out, the problem arises when these data begin to guide decisions that should be made at the micro level.
Excess information increases the risk of overinterpretation. Small statistical variations gain disproportionate weight, while structural factors—such as end use, local liquidity, and demand profile—are pushed into the background. Decision-making shifts from the concrete to the abstract, weakening its practical foundation.
Informational Noise and Delayed Decisions
Another recurring effect of excess information is delayed decision-making. The more variables included in the analysis, the harder it becomes to reach a conclusion. Alex Nabuco dos Santos notes that many investors miss good opportunities not because of a lack of knowledge, but because of excessive comparison.
The real estate market does not offer perfect conditions. There will always be incomplete data, alternative scenarios, and divergent projections. Waiting for full alignment among all information, in practice, means waiting too long. In that interval, the asset changes price, loses liquidity, or leaves the market.
The False Sense of Security Created by Excessive Analysis
Overly extensive analyses can generate a false sense of security. The belief that “everything has been considered” reduces critical thinking and increases confidence in fragile assumptions. Alex Nabuco dos Santos observes that poor decisions are often accompanied by lengthy reports that are poorly prioritized.
The problem is not depth, but the lack of clear criteria. Without a defined hierarchy of importance, secondary information begins to influence decisions as much as determining factors. Excess data dilutes focus and weakens the final decision.
Useful Information Versus Available Information
Not all available information is useful. Distinguishing between these two concepts is central to well-structured decisions. Useful information is what directly impacts value, liquidity, and risk of the asset being analyzed. Everything else is context.
As Alex Nabuco dos Santos emphasizes, more mature decisions start with a few well-formulated questions: Does the property meet real demand? Is there proven liquidity? Does the price offer a margin of safety? If these answers are clear, additional data plays a complementary role, not a decisive one.
The Role of Method in Filtering Information
Method is the main antidote to information overload. Defining in advance which criteria matter prevents analysis from being contaminated by noise. When the method is clear, new data is incorporated only if it reinforces or changes core assumptions.
Without a method, information governs the decision. With a method, the decision governs the information. This inversion completely changes the quality of the decision-making process in the real estate market.
Decide Less, Decide Better
Well-structured real estate decisions do not require omniscience. They require focus. Reducing the informational universe improves clarity, speeds execution, and lowers the risk of errors caused by overanalysis. The market rewards those who decide with criteria, not those who accumulate data.
In Alex Nabuco dos Santos’ view, filtering information is a sign of decision-making maturity. In an increasingly noisy environment, the ability to ignore what is irrelevant becomes just as valuable as identifying opportunities.
Clarity as a Competitive Advantage
Ultimately, clarity is a competitive advantage. While many get lost in endless analyses, simpler and well-structured decisions move forward. Information overload does not disappear, but it can be neutralized through method, hierarchy, and critical reading.
By recognizing that not every data point deserves attention, investors reduce noise, preserve focus, and improve the quality of their choices. In real estate, making good decisions is less about knowing everything and more about knowing what truly matters.
Author: Clodayre Daine
