Multifamily Unpacked

Multifamily Unpacked

By Multifamily UnpackedBusiness
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Multifamily Unpacked episodes

  • The Funnel x Realpage partnership with Dirk Wakeham — Openness with guardrails, AI, integrations, and trust in multifamily
    What happens when two competitors decide to work together? For Funnel and Realpage, it starts with listening to the operators who use both. In this episode of Multifamily Unpacked, Funnel CEO Tyler Christiansen sits down with Realpage CEO Dirk Wakeham to talk about the newly-announced historic partnership, why customer choice matters, and what it takes to build trust across multifamily technology.
    You’ll hear:
    — Why shared customers helped inspire the Funnel x Realpage partnership
    — How Realpage’s MCP connector helps operators use their data with AI tools of their choice
    — The technical, commercial, and strategic considerations behind integrations
    — Why security and governance matter as AI agents gain access to sensitive data
    — What a more renter-centric future could look like—and why human judgment still matters
    If you enjoyed this conversation, join us at Forum 2027: The conversation continues in Austin, April 5–7. Early bird registration is open.
    https://funnelleasing.com/events/forum
    23 min
  • Build-to-rent beyond the spreadsheet: Ryan Smidt on Clay Residential
    In this episode of Multifamily Unpacked, I sit down with Ryan Smidt, CEO and co-founder of Clay Residential, to explore the evolving landscape of build-to-rent communities. Drawing from his extensive experience at BlackRock, Ryan shares insights into how Clay Residential sets itself apart by focusing on larger homes and community-scale operations. We discuss the unique model that allows individual investors to own homes within professionally managed rental communities, highlighting the importance of quality property management and resident experience. Tune in to learn how this innovative approach addresses current market challenges and anticipates the shift toward long-term renting in the multifamily sector.
    17 min
  • Centralization, REIT operations + this moment in multifamily
    What does it take to build a multifamily company that can operate at scale without sacrificing agility, culture, or the resident experience?
    In this episode of Multifamily Unpacked, Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel, sits down with Alex Jessett, CEO of Camden Property Trust, at Camden’s Houston office. They discuss how Camden’s centralized operating model supports innovation, and why a recognizable brand creates lasting value for residents, team members, and shareholders.
    Jessett also shares how Camden approaches change management, builds trust during periods of technological transformation, and helps team members understand the connection between their daily work and the company’s financial performance.
    In this episode
    — How Camden balances the stability of scale with the ability to remain nimble
    — The role market density plays in referrals and resident retention
    — Why approximately 7% of Camden residents have previously lived at another Camden community
    — How the Camden brand and hummingbird identity reinforce a sense of home
    — Why putting Camden’s name on every community creates pride and accountability
    — How centralization has affected team member tenure and morale
    — Why successful change management starts with the people closest to the problem
    — How Camden communicates financial performance to team members
    — What renter-centricity means from an owner and operator’s perspective
    — Why happy team members are a value Camden refuses to compromise
    22 min
  • The biggest threats and opportunities facing multifamily right now with Jay Parsons
    Multifamily faced years of flat rents, elevated supply and rising costs—but is the market finally starting to turn?
    Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel Leasing, sits down with housing economist and The Rent Roll host Jay Parsons to unpack what’s happening across rental housing and what operators should expect next. They explore why development is becoming even more difficult, where rent growth could return first and why the next cycle will create clear winners and losers.
    They also discuss:
    Why scale is becoming essential for developers
    How lower supply could reshape rent growth
    Whether multifamily has become too reliant on concessions
    What renter health data actually tells us
    Why demand remains strong despite sluggish rents
    The growing regulatory pressure facing operators
    Where AI and centralization can—and can’t—reduce costs
    Why Jay remains optimistic about multifamily’s future
    Plus, Jay shares the thinking behind his new podcast, The Guest Card.
    38 min
  • Keeping humans at the center of AI in multifamily with Alex Jessett, CEO, Camden Property Trust
    In this episode of Multifamily Unpacked, Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel, sits down with Alex Jessett, CEO of Camden Property Trust, to discuss the company’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI).
    Jessett explains why multifamily may be difficult to disrupt, but is still full of opportunities for AI to improve the resident and team member experience. For Camden, the goal isn’t to remove people from the leasing journey. It’s to automate mundane work, help team members perform at their best, and give customers the freedom to interact with Camden in the way they prefer.
    The conversation explores Camden’s early investment in Funnel’s AI (now called Fenix), how the company evaluates the return on new technology, and why AI’s value extends far beyond reducing labor costs. Jessett also shares Camden’s “leadership, crowd, and lab” framework for developing scalable AI use cases, and explains why culture will ultimately be the company’s greatest competitive advantage.
    In this episode
    — Why multifamily is more resistant to disruption than other real estate sectors
    — The importance of maintaining trust and human connection in the resident experience
    — How technology can complement—not replace—onsite team members
    — Why Camden invested in AI before the rise of generative AI
    What Gen Z’s preferences reveal about the continued value of human interaction
    — How Camden balances self-service options with personalized service
    — Why the ROI of AI shouldn’t be measured solely through headcount reduction
    — Opportunities for AI across renewals, maintenance, insurance, and other operating areas
    — Camden’s “leadership, crowd, and lab” approach to AI experimentation
    — How happy team members lead to happy customers—and ultimately happy shareholders
    — Why culture, rather than any individual technology, is the real differentiator
    About the guest
    Prior to his current position as Chief Executive Officer, Alex Jessett served as Camden's President and Chief Financial Officer, responsible for Finance, Capital Markets, Real Estate Investments, Construction, Accounting, Operations, and all Operations-related teams. Since joining Camden in 1999, Alex has held various roles and has been responsible for over $25 billion of debt and equity issuances and structured real estate transactions. Before joining Camden, Alex began his career in real estate at Comerica Bank of Texas in the Real Estate Lending department.
    24 min
  • The Report — A new era of Funnel, multifamily's first front-office-only AI platform
    In this episode, Alex Howe, SVP of Marketing + Growth of Funnel, sits down with Tyler Christiansen, CEO of Funnel, to unpack a new era for Funnel: multifamily's first front-office-only AI platform.
    They get into two F-words, Fenix and Fabric, explain what orchestration means for multifamily operators, and share why Funnel remains committed to an open, human-in-the-loop approach to AI.
    The conversation explores how operators can combine AI, people, and workflows to improve the renter experience without giving up control, flexibility, or the value only humans can provide.
    In this episode:
    — What it means for Funnel to be a front-office-only AI platform
    — How Fenix, one AI to connect everything
    — How Fabric connects Funnel with LLMs, property management systems, and other PropTech tools
    — Why Workflow Studio gives operators more control over orchestration
    — The case for human-in-the-loop AI instead of autonomous property management
    — Why open integrations matter more in the AI era
    — Commitment to remaining independent and not building a property management system
    — What operators should consider when making long-term technology decisions
    20 min
  • The Report — VivMark, multifamily distress, and fee transparency
    What does the AvalonBay–Equity Residential merger mean for the future of multifamily? This episode covers the creation of VivMark Residential, why mounting multifamily distress may remain contained, and Seattle’s new ban on pet rent and other fees.
    They also explore why great technology and culture matter more than portfolio size, what today’s market pressure means for operators, and why transparent pricing is quickly becoming the new standard in housing.
    9 min
  • Fenix, the multifamily AI personal assistant — Inside the Funnel with CJ Donio

    In this episode of Inside the Funnel, host Hannah sits down with CJ, Director of Product for AI Workflows and Insights, to talk about the personal AI assistant he's building for Funnel teams. CJ shares what carries over from building generative AI across edtech and other industries, why keeping a human in the loop matters, and how the assistant can query your data, help you act on it, and eventually tell you where to focus. Along the way, they unpack the buzzwords operators keep hearing, like MCP and orchestration, and what they actually mean for running your business.

    You'll hear from:

    Hannah O’Leary, Communications director, Funnel

    CJ Donio, Director of Product for AI Workflows and Insights, Funnel

    In this episode:

    • Lessons that carry over — building trustworthy AI on customers' data, keeping the UX simple, and always asking if a feature genuinely helps renters and leasing agents.

    • A personal AI assistant for Funnel teams — query your data ("how many people didn't show up for a tour today?"), then act on it by assigning tasks or sending communications.

    • Human in the loop — why the goal is to give teams a superpower, not remove the human, so agents can focus on relationships and one-to-one follow-up.

    • MCP, explained — what the Model Context Protocol is ("an API for APIs"), why it's lightweight, and how it lets AI pull context from your PMS, partners, and Funnel.

    • Granular permissions — how MCP connectors respect your existing Funnel login and access, down to the individual community level.

    • Conversational BI for execs and data teams — querying Funnel data inside tools like Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini and turning it into tables and charts.

    • Bring your own app stack — building a robust integration platform so operators can keep the partners they love.

    • Ramping new team members faster — using SOPs, KB content, Insights call coaching, custom scorecards, and adjustable automation to support newer teams.

    • A look at the crystal ball — generative UI, where you describe the job to be done and the interface builds itself around it.

    • Getting to know CJ — music, drums, a two-year-old, and why the people are his favorite part of Funnel.


      • 22 min
    • Inside the Funnel — Katie Harman — Centralization, change management, and the human side of AI

      Katie Harman, Enterprise Consultant at Funnel experienced multifamily from every angle (on site, in a contact center, in management, and as an operator implementing Funnel ) before crossing over to consult with some of the industry's largest operators. 

      Her dual perspective shapes how Harman helps property management companies rethink their operating models around centralization and AI.

      In this episode

      - The story of a Funnel partner who cut missed prospect calls from 45% to 4%

      - How operators think about centralization differently six years in

      - Why the right specialized roles free site teams to focus on touring, closing, and renewals

      - Katie's take on change management, from earning trust at every level to navigating the hardest part of any rollout: user adoption

      - Why the best AI strategy is the one built around people

      16 min
    • The Report: Apartmentalize + AI orchestration

      The Report: Apartmentalize + AI orchestration

      In this episode of The Report, Alex Howe, SVP Marketing + Growth at Funnel, and Tyler Christiansen, CEO, Funnel, recap the biggest conversations coming out of Apartmentalize in New Orleans — from AI orchestration and centralization to housing policy, REIT consolidation, and interest rates.

      They also cover several major industry stories shaping multifamily right now, including:

      • AI accountability: Why AI adoption is shifting from excitement about automation to accountability, governance, clean data, human oversight, and real resident experience outcomes.

      • Property management software expansion: Why some AI-first companies are moving toward accounting and PMS software

      • Housing legislation: What the latest bipartisan housing bill could mean for operators, renters, and the broader affordability conversation.

      • Constrained investment volume: Why multifamily transaction activity remains cautious, even as operating fundamentals show signs of stabilization.

      • Centralization’s comeback: Why operators are revisiting centralization with more pragmatism, clearer goals, and a sharper focus on measurable efficiency.

      • AvalonBay and Equity Residential merger: What the $69 billion REIT merger signals about scale, shared services, centralized operating models, and the future of mega managers.

      • Interest rates and development: How the Fed’s latest decision to hold rates steady could continue to pressure new apartment development — and why that may set up future rent growth volatility.

        • For more on Funnel’s Apartmentalize announcements: Workflow Studio, Funnel’s custom renter workflow builder. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5cFdtOyhQI

        For the results of a third-party blind user test where 169 real renters compared Funnel’s chat and voice AI against three major competitors. Read the press release, or listen to this episode of the report. 

        To learn more about Funnel visit: https://funnelleasing.com/

        Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/funnel/


        24 min

      About Multifamily Unpacked

      From the publisher's feed

      Our lane is multifamily tech, how it influences property management companies and ultimately renters' experience finding their next home. To be clear, we’ll stay in our lane. In this podcast, we…

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