PropTech Today

In this episode of PropTech Today, Jeff Hoch, Founder interviews Jeanne Klein, National Sales Director from VeriFast.com. We discuss the solution that her firm has developed to help combat the rampant rise of fraudulent information that is being presented during the rental application process for multifamily housing. The solution is quite timely, due to the unfortunate rise of fraud. To learn more about the solution visit www.verifast.com To learn more about PropTech Today visit www.proptechtoday.io

Summary of Episode - Understanding Real Estate Investement Management Platforms   Jamie Stadtmauer from Agora discusses why real estate companies need an investor portal to manage their investors and investments. He explains that the portal helps companies keep track of every aspect of investor relations and investor management. Having an investor portal allows companies to communicate more effectively with their investors.     Jamie explained that most real estate companies use the help of outside investors, which can be managed at the beginning using a spreadsheet or individual emails. However, eventually the amount of investors gets excessive and they all have different deals, which makes it difficult to keep track of everything. The investor should have one place to go where they can easily find information about their investment. Transparency is good for both sides. Jamie then gave an example of how to create an opportunity, advertise the opportunity, and collect interest using Agora.     Agora's system enables syndicators to easily share new investment opportunities with existing investors, who can then review all the relevant information and make a commitment to invest if they're interested. For potential new investors, there is a deal page on the back end of the system where syndicators can share information about the opportunity while still staying compliant with SEC rules.     The conversation discusses how an investor can become involved in a deal through the gora platform. The investor first signs up for the company dashboard side, where they provide their information. The syndicator then reviews the investor to see if they are accredited or not. If the investor is interested in the deal, they are then promoted to an actual process. The gora platform is only one aspect of the process, and the responsibility of the firm sponsoring the deal to begin with.   TIMESTAMPS   0:00:00   Prop Tech Today: Jamie Stadtmauer from Agora on Investor Portals   0:02:12   The Benefits of Using a Real Estate Investment Software   0:04:02   Agora's Deal Page Feature   0:07:20   The Different Types of Investors in the Real Estate Space   0:08:55   The Agora Team Discusses How Their Services Facilitate Deal Communication and Reporting   0:10:44   The Differentiating Factors of Agora's Investor Portal   0:13:04   Agora's Jamie Campbell on the company's technology and customer service   0:15:30   The Importance of Education in Disseminating Information about Investor Portals   0:16:26   The Importance of Social Media in Real Estate Marketing   0:20:10   The Importance of Understanding the Customer's Needs in the Property Management Industry   0:21:45   Jamie Smith of Agora Real on the Importance of Understanding Your Client's Pain Points   HIGHLIGHTS   And so it puts me in a unique position to understand the value of Agora, because I am one of them. I view myself as one of them, and I understand their needs.   I get to work for a technology company that is very involved in real estate. So it's kind of like the marriage of my two worlds. In college, I actually majored in MIS Management Information Systems.   And it's not only the information, it's the networking. Also in terms of getting the word out there, what the company is and what we do. It's also in terms of your personal relationships with people that you're going to be speaking to.   LinkedIn has been invaluable in terms of first of all, getting information, but also disseminating information. All you need to do is post and make a video or whatever it may be and you can get information out there.   Also we are a system that can be for any type of real estate investor. It could be someone who has three buildings and it's only one person in his basement and he needs a lot of help because he's doing everything on his own and he also wants to present a professional investor portal.

Donald Davidoff is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Real Estate Business Analytics, Inc (REBA). He is recognized throughout the rental housing industry as a thought leader in pricing, business intelligence, marketing, and leasing. Donald is best known for leading the development and implementation of the Lease Rent Options® (LRO), the industry's first automated demand forecasting and price optimization system. A former Senior Vice President at Archstone and Executive Vice President at Holiday Retirement, Donald works with C-Suite clients to assess their operational and technology platforms and implement impactful projects.   In this episode, Donald talks about the importance of data analytics in the real estate industry and how REBA enables users to make market data-driven decisions. He highlights how businesses can utilize REBA's innovative products and gain a competitive edge in collecting and analyzing data, budgeting, and forecasting.   [00:01 – 04:22] Opening Segment Welcoming Donald to the show He discusses his background in tech and business intelligence    [04:23 – 10:05] Changing the Way Real Estate Uses Data With REBA, users can spend more time analyzing data than collecting data Helping them make better pricing decisions What are other features of REBA that can serve different parts of the business? Donald describes REBA's ideal customer Presenting a better multifamily budgeting solution vs. Excel    [10:06 – 23:08] Building Bespoke BI How users can integrate REBA with PMS Enabling and empowering internal analysis and benchmarking REBA's data modeling makes it easy to create custom reports and dashboards Donald shares some successful use cases of REBA Getting good data leads to quicker action    [23:09 – 25:49] Closing Segment Donald on what's next for REBA: Rapid growth and extending the capabilities of the software Reach out to Donald at GetREBA.com or email him at [email protected]. You may follow REBA on LinkedIn, too!   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "What you want is all that data in one single source of truth so you can access it directly." - Donald Davidoff "We are a huge accelerator to anybody who would be tempted to build bespoke or would love to build bespoke. But we are affordable and we've already built that data model that would've taken you at least a year to figure out if you can start from scratch itself." - Donald Davidoff "The faster you can get good data in a chart or graphic or 3D visualization, that gives you context. It's just easier to make good decisions really fast." - Donald Davidoff

Hiring the best talent for your real estate business should not be a challenge. Rocket Station offers an affordable way to find world-class, real estate-trained, virtual teammates who can handle the day-to-day, freeing you to make an even bigger impact on your business. Director of Business Development Greg Brooks sits down with us to talk about all things outsourcing, how an offshore team can help reduce operational costs and maximize profits and work efficiency, and how the industry would benefit from building a global workforce. [00:01 – 05:11] Opening Segment Greg introduces Rocket Station and their unique startup story The need for an outsourcing service  in the real estate industry    [05:12 – 12:33] Leveraging Outsourcing at a High Level The first thing to look at before outsourcing: operational inefficiencies Rocket Station helps business owners find affordable back office team support How they were able to hire and onboard offshore talent Prioritizing the HR component, including vetting and training Why the Philippines is an outsourcing destination Collecting data points from the candidate before pairing them with a client Busting myths about outsourcing VAs can do more than just manage your calendar There are a lot of office tasks that you can do virtually    [12:34 – 20:48] The Importance of Business Systems and Processes Having standardized systems and processes and clear job responsibilities and SOPs ensure successful outsourcing The stabilization of back office functions can make an organization more resilient How outsourcing can enable people to do their jobs better and improve retention Outsourcing can take away mundane tasks from property managers and let them focus on resident experience   [20:47 – 25:09] Closing Segment Greg on the future of the company: being the end-to-end service and technology provider for outsourcing Connect with Greg through RocketStation.com and schedule a call on discovery.rocketstation.com.   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "Being able to triage a lot of that, not lower level but very time-consuming, task-based work with offshore teams can just be a huge value source for a lot of our clients." - Greg Brooks   "What we really feel like the number one question you have to ask, whether you're looking to outsource or looking to leverage talent from across the US, is what are your systems and processes?" - Greg Brooks   "How do I scale a world-class tenant experience? I think like a lot of that is hiring great people on-site, but then also making sure you're putting those people in a position where that can be their core focus." - Greg Brooks  

Technology is transforming real estate transactions and one of the companies paving the way to the future of PropTech is Dottid.   Today, Kyle Waldrep, Founder and CEO of Dottid, and Senecca Miller, CTO and COO, discuss how workflow technology can help reduce the time it takes to complete a transaction, and improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency. They talk about the story and the work they do at Dottid, a commercial real estate (CRE) SAAS technology platform that provides a single location for brokers, landlords, and tenants to share information and work seamlessly throughout the leasing process.   Kyle founded Dottid soon after graduating from Southern Methodist University when he realized that the CRE leasing process was highly antiquated and mired in administrative tasks that could be easily solved with the right technology. In just three years, he has built a team of world-class software developers, technologists, and industry experts, all determined to develop the most effective way for the commercial real estate industry to conduct business. Dottid, a venture-backed startup, has raised almost $11MM from some of the most prominent leaders and advisors with unmatched CRE experience. In many ways, this team symbolizes the shift from the traditional CRE transactional model to the future of where the industry is headed.   Senecca is responsible for Dottid's technology strategy and he also plays a key role in leading the comp security efforts by driving new initiatives. Additionally, he provides strategic oversight and program management for Dottid's products and features. During his 20+ year career in technology, he has served in a variety of roles at multiple organizations. Throughout his tenure, he has focused on digital transformations and high availability of distributed systems. [00:01 – 03:08] Opening Segment Kyle reflects on the problem he saw in the space and eventually starting his company Senecca shares his background in the technology industry and how he got into PropTech    [03:09 – 08:47] Helping Real Estate Professionals Do What They Do Best There are so many people and layers involved in one real estate transaction Dottid is a platform we can use to streamline the workflow With an automation product, we can save time and be more efficient in our roles How brokers can use Dottid as a selling tool    [08:48 – 18:17] Simplicity and Usability Making it easier for the customers to adapt and use the platform through the Microsoft Team's integration How they Dottid is servicing different asset classes What's next for Dottid? Branching to new regions New ways of engagement Knowing each customer's persona and giving them what they want to see [18:18 – 24:07] Closing Segment What's the mark Kyle and Senecca are looking to make in the PropTech space?   Reach out to Kyle and Senecca through Dottid's website and LinkedIn page.   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "Let's go understand the tech that's already in the space, connect with it, integrate with it, keep our design simple  and make sure that our user is familiar with the whole scope of products." - Kyle Waldrep   "One of the things we take great care of is really trying to understand the real estate use case in each shop. Every firm is different."  - Kyle Waldrep   "We have the ability really to change how transactions are. From my standpoint, our job's not complete until you can do every part of that transaction within Dottid." - Seneca Miller

Almost everyone can relate to the frustration of lost or stolen packages. Joining us today to talk about how they are providing solutions for package problems is Jennifer Carter, National Partnership Manager of Fetch.   Fetch offers off-site package management and delivery straight to the resident's door and allows them to control their delivery service from the comfort of their couch. Property managers can also focus on their core business instead of worrying about package delivery. Jennifer discusses her insights on what's happening in the package delivery industry and why a Fetch-enabled property is a model for the future.   Over the past 13 years, Jennifer has gained valuable knowledge not only from the owner/operator side of the multifamily industry but has also sat on the vendor side in three different opportunities. She first started in the industry and worked on-site as a Traveling Property Manager assisting in increasing occupancy. She then gained an opportunity to add more industry knowledge during her 5-year tenure at Apartment Guide before she found herself back on the owner/operator side leading the Marketing department for two different management companies. She spent just shy of 4 years as a Director of Client Performance with SatisFacts focusing on client best practices to drive resident retention and then most recently she worked as the Director of Marketing for SmartRent, where her biggest contribution was taking part in taking the company public; developing public relations campaigns to inform and bring awareness to the marketplace while evolving the company's brand. [00:01 – 03:53] Opening Segment Jennifer shares her 15 years of experience Providing package management for multifamily operators      [03:54 – 12:41] Innovation in Package Deliveries COVID has accelerated the growth of eCommerce There's a significant increase in the number of packages on a daily basis With Fetch, operators can spend less time on package management and more on resident experience Breaking down the Fetch experience step-by-step and how it can help customers depending on their needs Less delivery drivers, less mileage, and less wear and tear on the parking lots    [12:42 – 20:21] Scalable Package Solution for the Future Lockers are not sustainable solutions, especially for larger properties Fetch assumes liability for damaged or lost packages What's next for Fetch? Assistance in making returns New locations Jennifer talks about her role in partnerships   [20:21 – 21:53] Closing Segment   Reach out to Jennifer at [email protected] and head over to their website, fetchpackage.com.   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "On average, you're typically seeing one on-site employee spending 35 hours a week just on managing packages… where they could be and should be honestly focusing on resident experience." - Jennifer Carter   "If it's a small property, it (lockers) might be fine. When you're looking at an average property of 250 units or more, it really makes sense to have an offsite package company that's handling those packages." - Jennifer Carter

Every real estate owner knows that parking has a huge impact on the property. Here's how you can increase revenue and resident satisfaction through smart parking management technology.   Avi Cohen is the Co-Founder of Parking Badge, a premier digital parking software company established in 2019. He sits down with us to talk about this exciting software solution that brings property owners added value each month and ensures that they are utilizing their assets properly. With the goal of providing software as a solution to all parking facilities from multifamily, commercial, real estate, and more, Avi and Parking Badge are on the rise to bring PropTech to everyone in the parking industry. [00:01 – 04:21] Opening Segment Avi talks about his background Finding solutions for common parking lot problems    [04:22 – 19:17] Upgrading to Digital Parking Management  What does a parking lot run by Parking Badge look like Avi breaks down where and how they are implementing this technology Providing easy and specialized setup for parking management during events Improving communication between property owners and property managers through a cleaner, faster, and more interactive system What is a reserve parking setup? How Parking Badge is accommodating EV     [15:29 – 21:55] Generating Residual Revenue with Zero Investments Avi discusses the implementation process for clients How parking management systems can increase occupancy and retention The financial benefits to property owners   [21:56 – 24:02] Closing Segment   Reach out to Avi and Parking Badge through their website. Contact them at [email protected], [email protected], and 304-301-1351.    Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "You see everything that you're getting and everything that's going in and out. Everything's accounted for and not having to hire somebody is also a big deal." - Avi Cohen   "This is not only going to get the parking lot under control and it's going to make the parking lot a safer place, but this is a way to bring revenue into the property." - Avi Cohen

How can we make sure that we are getting the best results from our marketing spend?   In this episode, we welcome Erina Malarkey, Co-founder of Remarkably. She is responsible for the strategic vision and direction of the company's cloud-based marketing business intelligence software. Remarkably makes it easier for marketers and multifamily operators to get data-driven insights and adjust their marketing strategies for better success. Erina also gives her perspective on the best marketing practices in the multifamily space and the ways we leverage data to accelerate business growth.   Bringing more than 15 years of multifamily real estate expertise to her role, Erina has forged deep relationships within the multifamily industry and is recognized for her commitment to shifting the status quo of multifamily marketing. Her ability to define and meet the needs of the nation's top managers, owner/operators, investors, and developers with an intuitive and value-generating platform has been instrumental in Remarkably's success.  [00:01 – 02:57] Opening Segment Erina on the first-ever multifamily marketing business intelligence solution Marketing is essential in the multifamily space but we're lacking the tools to optimize our marketing budgets    [02:58 – 17:55] Transforming Data into Action What is business intelligence? How Remarkably simplifies data gathering and insighting Differentiating earned channels and paid channels The value of resident experience and their referrals Listen to our previous episode with Ben Pleat: Using Technology To Build Better Resident Experiences There is no "one-size-fits-all" marketing Understanding our goals for the property and knowing what levers to pull    [17:56 – 19:17] Growth Hacking Through Technology The potential application of the technology to other facets of real estate Erina breaks down Remarkably's customer base The exciting things their team is currently working on   [24:42 – 26:17] Closing Segment   Want to connect with Erina? Email her at [email protected]. and follow her on LinkedIn. Learn more about Remarkably through their website.   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.     Tweetable Quotes: "What the heck can I actually learn from my data? What sort of steps should we take?" - Erina Malarkey "More data, more problems, unless you've got a way to harness it. Business intelligence is a good way to do that." - Erina Malarkey"The great irony is that, as an industry, we market at the property level." - Erina Malarkey

Imagine walking through a home before it's even built.   Here to talk about how they are making this possible are Daniyal M. Awan and Milica Gvozdenovic of 1to1 Plans, a floor plan design visualization startup.   1to1 Plans is a one-of-a-kind design lab that uses patent-pending technology to display full-scale building plans on a walkable digital floor with portable furniture and provides a virtual tour for the users. Co-founder and CEO Daniyal M. Awan discusses the company's goal of enabling architects, builders, and developers to eliminate costly and time-consuming design mistakes as early as possible in the construction timeline. Milica Gvozdenovic, Business Development Executive, also joins us to share how they are instilling confidence in clients through their very realistic walkthrough experience. [00:01 – 05:48] Opening Segment Daniyal introduces 1to1 Plans and the amazing work they do Milica talks about helping clients gain confidence in their future projects    [05:49 – 19:17] Experiencing the Unbuilt The step-by-step process to bring life to floor plans What solutions are they offering to clients Applications for renovations Use cases for production home builders Their outlook for the future of real estate technology and 1to1 Plans   [19:18 – 21:01] Closing Segment   Connect with 1to1 Plans! Head over to their website to know more about their work. Follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel!   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes: "They can walk through every inch of the project, get a chance to fine-tune, and perfect everything off the design before they even break ground." - Daniyal M. Awan    "When we have custom home builders, you see how their clients get excited and so happy about their future home." - Milica Gvozdenovic "The way we've designed the overall process is we eliminated all the preconceived notions in the design world." - Daniyal M. Awan 

With technology advancing, a lot of people would say that what we lack now is human touch. But as property owners, developers, and managers, there are many ways to merge the two and create a fantastic living experience for our residents.    Ben Pleat is a firm believer that human touch is crucial to a strong and successful community. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Cobu, the leading virtual community platform built for multifamily in over 82 cities and 34 states in the United States and Canada. Ben is constantly fascinated by innovation in the real estate industry and has explored the nexus of real estate and technology.   In this episode, he deep dives further into how engaging tenants and curating communities can bring a huge boost to our business. [00:01 – 02:45] Opening Segment Get to know Ben and the story behind Cobu How Cobu increases resident retention  [02:46 – 12:27] Building a Sense of Belongingness Binding the community tighter through common interests  Effective community moderation It's more than just an apartment, it's a sanctuary How can we add value to our tenants' homes?   [12:28 – 22:28] Improving Occupancy and Retention The Cobu way of promoting rental properties How genuine connection equates to tenant stickiness   Clients would pay more for better experience   The potential for creating a referral system through reviews   Ben on always aiming to improve the client experience Cobu's commitment to their mission   [22:29 – 23:25] Closing Segment Connect with Ben Pleat on LinkedIn and visit Cobu at www.livecobu.com!   Let's Connect! You can connect with me, Jeff Hoch on LinkedIn to look into Smart Building and Smart Apartment Technologies.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to know more about Industry Leaders in the Property Technology and Real Estate Industry. Your ratings and reviews help get the podcast in front of new listeners.   Tweetable Quotes:   "It's ironic to me that we're more digitally connected as a society, right? Facebook, Instagram, yet as human beings, we're more disconnected." - Ben Pleat "Meet residents where they are. Give them the experience that they're looking for. It delivers on this sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger. It's not just you and your unit, and you have to fend for yourself. It's kind of building a network or community around you. It's people that are like-minded, you can engage as much or as little as you want." - Ben Pleat