In this rebroadcast of the Apartment Jedi podcast, Funnel CEO Tyler Christiansen joins host Andrew Bowen for a wide-angle look at the operating-model shift reshaping multifamily. They cover where centralization and specialization actually stand today, how AI is evolving from simple automation to agentic systems, and why brand power is finally emerging as a real economic lever in rental housing.

Tyler breaks down what he’s seeing across REITs, large fee managers, and early-stage adopters: which operating behaviors are sticking, where friction remains, and how the next generation of workflows will change staffing, service levels, and resident expectations. He also explains why winners and losers will separate faster than most expect — and what operators should be preparing for now.

You’ll learn:

• Where multifamily truly is on the centralization and specialization journey
• How REITs, third-party managers, and owner-operators are taking different paths based on incentives, contracts, and brand strategy.
• The real ROI of specialization: why the biggest gains are coming from back-office functions, not leasing “glamour metrics.”
• How centralized models change service levels, staffing ratios, and retention, including what operators consistently underestimate.
• AI’s next chapter: moving from chatbots to agentic workflows that perform tasks, not just answer questions.
• What resident interactions will look like when AI can renew leases, negotiate within guardrails, process payments, and sync context across systems.
• The coming shift in leadership development as old career ladders collide with new operating structures.

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

This episode is a rebroadcast of The Rent Roll and brings together two of the clearest thinkers in rental housing.

First up is your host, Jay Parsons, economist, advisor, and creator of The Rent Roll, a top-ranked podcast known for breaking down market trends, operator realities, and the forces shaping rental housing.

He’s joined by Tyler Christensen, CEO of Funnel, who works directly with the industry’s largest operators to help translate this moment — AI adoption, centralization, and new operating models — into practical changes for teams and workflows.

You’ll learn: 

• What AI is actually doing onsite today
• How centralization unlocks the savings AI alone can’t
• The jump in voice AI and what renters use it for
• Real agentic workflows (mid-lease changes, addenda, renewals)
• Why operators are consolidating tech stacks
• What leaders should realistically prepare for next

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

As one of the key architects behind RealPage’s $10 billion rise, Michael Britti has seen firsthand what makes mergers work, and what makes them fall apart.

Before leading acquisitions that reshaped the industry, Michael built and sold his own companies, giving him rare perspective on both sides of the table. In this episode, he and Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel unpack the deals that defined a generation, the importance of culture in innovation, and why the best leaders are really just great sellers with a vision people want to follow.

What you’ll learn:

• How one acquisition strategy changed multifamily forever
• The difference between a “build or die” and “build or buy” market
• Why great culture is a company’s best competitive edge
• What today’s entrepreneurs can learn from multifamily’s past cycles

If you enjoyed this conversation, do not miss Forum. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

A highlight recorded live at Forum 2025.

In this Forum panel, four leaders share what it actually takes to scale a centralized operating model—across asset types, management structures, and team sizes. 

You’ll hear from:
 – Joni Lowe, SVP Marketing, Pacific Urban Investors
 – Dom Beveridge, Founder & Principal, 20for20
 – Jason Terry, Former Director of Resident Services, Redstone Residential
 – Melody Reid, Managing Director, US Property Systems, Greystar

What you’ll learn:

• Why property admin—not leasing—is often the first to go off-site
• How Greystar built AI-powered workflows that save time and deliver more consistency at scale
• How Pacific Urban tracks to measure centralized success across operators
• How Redstone uses their CLO or centralized leasing office to handle turnover and spikes in demand
• Why fee structures matter for third-party centralization—and how top firms are evolving

Read the full forum recap here: https://funnelleasing.com/today-in-operations-centralization-in-action/

Don’t miss out next year. 2026 registration is open, can’t wait to see you there. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

In this special rebroadcast, Funnel CEO Tyler Christiansen joins Matt Slepin on Leading Voices in Real Estate to explore the rise of centralization in an industry overdue for operational change, and how centralization before AI is reshaping multifamily operations.

Together, they unpack what Tyler calls the “new operating model” a shift toward centralized, specialized teams and AI-powered workflows that make leasing more efficient, renters happier, and teams more fulfilled.

The conversation traces Funnel’s early days building automated lead management tools, the “aha moment” that unlocked portfolio-level leasing, and how REITs like Essex and owner-operators like Cortland, Windsor, and UDR helped prove the model.

You’ll hear:

— Why centralization—not AI—was the first domino to fall in multifamily transformation.

— How “renter-centric architecture” changes the owner-to-resident relationship.

— What new specialized roles (like renewal and leasing hubs) mean for teams and career paths.

— How AI fits into the model once workflows are centralized and why it boosts both efficiency and retention.

— The leadership and cultural traits shared by companies successfully navigating this shift.

Tyler and Matt go deep into the structural rewiring happening beneath multifamily’s surface showing why technology is only part of the story, and why operational design is where the real innovation happens.

At the end of the episode listen to Deepali Vyas, Global Head of Data and AI at ZRG as she zooms out on what centralization and agentic AI mean for leadership, talent, and trust across real estate.

Resources: 

• Leading Voices in Real Estate Podcast: https://www.zrgpartners.com/leadingvoices/
• ZRG Partners: https://www.zrgpartners.com/our-team/matt-slepin/
• If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll love Forum. Register today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

Recorded live at Forum, this episode features a rare conversation with one of tech’s most influential minds: Clay Bavor, former head of Google Labs and now co-founder of Sierra.

Clay joins Funnel CEO Tyler Christiansen to talk about the future of agentic AI—intelligent systems that don’t just respond, but act. Together, they unpack why this moment in AI is so significant, where the real impact lies, and how AI can elevate customer experiences by removing the rote and making room for what’s truly human.

They also explore:

• The origin and mission behind Sierra
• Real-world AI use cases across industries (including multifamily)
• The shift to resolution-based pricing
• Why trust and thoughtful design matter more than ever

Funnel is proud to partner with Sierra to bring the best conversational AI to multifamily. 

Whether you're shaping your AI strategy or just trying to understand what’s next, this conversation is packed with clarity, insight, and inspiration. Read the full recap here: https://funnelleasing.com/forum-recap-future-of-agentic-ai/

Don’t miss out next year. 2026 registration is open, can’t wait to see you there. Register today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

In this episode of Multifamily Unpacked, we sit down with one of the industry's most thoughtful observers and storytellers: Matt Slepin. As a longtime executive recruiter, former lobbyist, and host of the "Leading Voices in Real Estate" podcast, Matt has had a front-row seat to the evolution of multifamily real estate over the past four decades.

Tyler and Matt dig deep on the past, present, and future of the industry—covering everything from the institutionalization of multifamily as an asset class to the slow but necessary shift toward centralization and tech-enabled operations. They unpack how the REIT era rewired expectations for leadership, why talent pipelines are still too shallow, and what it means to “play the long game” in a space defined by relationships, reinvention, and relentless change.

What you’ll learn:

• Why multifamily wasn’t always considered an institutional investment class—and what changed
• The unintended consequences of promoting from within in property management
• The balancing act of centralization in third-party management
• How AI and technology are reshaping operational leadership—and why human-centric leadership still matters
• Why career success in multifamily is less about the “perfect resume” and more about curiosity, context, and consistency

Links + resources:

• Leading Voices in Real Estate Podcast: https://www.zrgpartners.com/leadingvoices/
• ZRG Partners: https://www.zrgpartners.com/our-team/matt-slepin/
• Listen to Tyler on Matt’s show: https://www.zrgpartners.com/insights/leading-voices-tyler-christiansen/
• Learn more about FoodExtra here: https://extrafood.org/

If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll love Forum. Register today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

Turnover is a sticking point in multifamily. But what if a new operating model could actually solve for that?

In this Forum highlight, Ginny Decker (SVP of Operations, Monument) and Jayde Kelley (Director of Innovation, RedPeak) sit down with Funnel’s Sarah Bozarth to talk about how centralized operations are giving teams more clarity, more support, and ultimately—more reasons to stay.

You’ll learn:

• Why both operators started with team feedback before rolling anything out
• How role specialization turned “one more task” into “one great job”
• The ripple effects on morale, retention, and resident experience
• How the right tech stack made the shift sustainable

If your goal is to create happier teams and stronger careers—alongside faster, efficient, scalable workflows—this episode is for you.

This was recorded live at Forum. If you enjoyed this episode, you'd love Forum. Register today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

Rate cuts grabbed the headlines, but they aren’t the whole story. In this episode, Tyler Christiansen, CEO, Funnel sits down with economist Jay Parsons—also the host of The Rent Roll with Jay Parsons podcast—to dig into what really drives multifamily performance right now, and what managers and operators should watch.

They cover:

— Why a 25 bp cut doesn’t move the needle

— How supply peaks today set up a different market in 2026–2027

— The myth of home sales and rental demand (hint: strong for-sale markets often help rents)

— What rent control proposals really mean for affordability

— Fee transparency, “all-in” pricing, and the compliance burden operators are facing

— Why resident retention has been trending up for a decade

— The comeback (and risk) of concessions

If you enjoy conversations like this, you’ll love Forum, the premier event for multifamily executives who believe in a better operating model. Forum sells out every year. Registration is open. Secure your spot today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

Listen to Jay’s podcast, The Rent Roll: https://jayparsons.com/podcast/

Timestamps:

0:00 Jay Parsons — Multifamily economics beyond the rate cut

0:51 Episode introduction

1:38 Welcome Jay Parsons

2:42 What does the Fed rate cut mean for the multifamily industry?

4:26 What are the reasons to be optimistic about rent growth in multifamily?

5:39 Multifamily demand is good, but anything can happen

7:50 How does the for-sale market impact the rental housing industry?

9:09 The kicker is the hero, but not the key driver of the game

12:53 The myth about rent control

14:07 Don’t double down on what hasn’t worked

17:27 Use what is working across the country: supply

18:45 Supply vs. demand: Not that complicated

19:46 How is supply/demand impacting multifamily business?

21:02 Homebuilding ≠ apartment building

22:38 Homebuilders: Scarcity is your biggest enemy and your biggest asset

23:35 Fee transparency in multifamily

24:52 The rules for fee transparency are a moving target

27:13 Navigating the rules of the road in a multi-state business.

29:21 Compliance is important for all asset types, not just affordable

31:04 How can we lengthen the customer lifetime value in multifamily?

32:34 Apartment living is more attractive than it was

36:07 Technology + people have made multifamily better

36:51 What is going on with rental concessions in multifamily?

37:30 Be cautious when burning concessions

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.

In this episode of Inside the Funnel, we sit down with Jack Banask, Funnel’s Senior Director of Strategy and Operations. Jack’s role bridges product vision and operational reality, working closely with operators to simplify the most complex parts of the renter journey, from application through mid-lease.

We explore how the resident experience is becoming a powerful lever for retention and efficiency—and how Funnel’s online leasing and resident portal are evolving to support that shift.

In this episode, we unpack:

— Why operational complexity in multifamily is often overlooked

— How Funnel is connecting siloed tools into seamless, end-to-end workflows

— Why self-service isn’t just a better experience—it’s a smarter path to scale

— How AI and centralized data unlock new ways to cross-sell and retain residents

— Where some of the most forward-thinking operators are focusing next

If you enjoyed this episode you'll love Forum. Early bird registration closes November 2, 2025. Register today. https://meet.funnelleasing.com/forum-2026-registration

To stay up-to-date follow Funnel on Linkedin and connect with Tyler there, too.