In this episode of Conversations with Zena, David Espindola is joined by Kevin Stoffman, COO of Real Estate Business Analytics, to explore how data and AI are reshaping the real estate industry—from investment decisions to tenant experiences. 

Kevin shares his journey from finance and consulting into the world of real estate data platforms, offering a grounded perspective on how fragmented information is being transformed into actionable intelligence. The conversation moves beyond technology to examine a deeper question: as data becomes more abundant and AI more capable, where does human judgment still matter?

Together, David, Kevin, and Zena explore the evolving balance between data-driven insights and human intuition. They discuss how AI is accelerating research and underwriting, while relationships, local knowledge, and experience continue to shape final decisions. The dialogue also addresses critical challenges around data quality, privacy, and the risks of building AI on weak foundations.

A particularly practical thread emerges around using AI as a “thought partner” for real estate investing—helping both newcomers and experienced professionals uncover blind spots, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions.

This episode offers a clear lens into a broader transformation: as real estate becomes increasingly digitized, success will depend not only on access to data, but on the wisdom to interpret it.

Key themes include:

•  The shift toward AI-first interactions in real estate 
•  The enduring role of human intuition and relationships 
•  Data quality as the foundation of intelligent systems 
•  Privacy trade-offs in a data-rich world 
•  Using AI as a strategic thinking partner in investing 

A thoughtful conversation for investors, operators, and leaders navigating the intersection of real estate, data, and human-AI collaboration.

Opening to Conversations with Zena.

Music at the the end of each episode

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