Propmodo Technology

By Franco Faraudo · March 25, 2025

Greetings,

Compass dropped its lawsuit against Zillow after Zillow eased the listing policy at the center of the dispute, making the legal fight less urgent. A federal judge had already denied Compass’ request for a preliminary injunction. But the bigger story is Compass’ effort to challenge the traditional system in which listings move from the MLS to every major portal at once. Instead, Compass is pushing a phased approach that starts with private and coming-soon listings on its own channels, giving the brokerage more control over inventory and pricing strategy.

This fight could reshape the balance of power between brokerages and portals. Zillow still has a far larger audience, but that matters less if desirable inventory is held back or delayed. Compass is betting that controlling exclusive listings can matter more than matching Zillow’s traffic, and other companies are moving in the same direction. The key question is whether sellers will accept delayed syndication in return for more control, privacy, and possible pricing upside.

This week we’re looking at why clean energy still remains out of reach for many lower-income families, even as solar, heat pumps, batteries, and EVs become more common. New research argues the problem is not a lack of interest but a system built around upfront capital, tax liability, homeownership, and administrative bandwidth that many households simply do not have. It also points to a growing set of software and financing tools—from virtual power plants and community solar platforms to point-of-sale rebates and shared billing systems—that could help close that gap, if policy starts rewarding access and inclusion instead of just deployment volume.

Let’s go!

Energy & Sustainability

Digital Infrastructure Could Be the Key to an Equitable Clean Energy Transition

New research reveals clean energy policies systematically exclude low-income households through upfront costs and administrative barriers.

https://propmodo.com/digital-infrastructure-could-be-the-key-to-an-equitable-clean-energy-transition/

Beyond the AI Bubble: Building Enduring Intelligence for Real Estate

In order to prevent an AI bubble, real estate tech companies are having to prove practical uses of artificial intlligence that can actually work at scale to help opperators save time and money.

https://propmodo.com/beyond-the-ai-bubble-building-enduring-intelligence-for-real-estate/

Bytes

🏠 Home smart
Zillow is betting that the future of home search will feel less like scrolling through listings and more like having an AI guide that can help turn curiosity into action.

🏫 Model behavior
Columbia University recently launched its Artificial Intelligence in Real Estate course to help industry professionals better understand how AI works, where it fits, and how it can be applied in practice.

🏢 Thinking space
AI firms are helping pull New York’s office market off the mat, turning the city’s push into artificial intelligence into a very real demand story for workspace.

Overheard

More Propmodo Technology

Digital Property Rights Could Be Real Estate's Next Billion Dollar Asset Class

Creating a digital rights frameworks would let landlords license their property for AR campaigns, games, and apps the same way they lease physical space, creating a new revenue stream from an untapped asset.

https://propmodo.com/digital-property-rights-could-be-real-estates-next-billion-dollar-asset-class/

AI Helps Retailers Bring Digital Personalization to Physical Stores

Retailers like Ulta, Sephora, and Starbucks are using AI personalization to make brick-and-mortar stores more valuable, connecting digital customer data to in-store experiences.

https://propmodo.com/ai-helps-retailers-bring-digital-personalization-to-physical-stores/

Why Office-to-Residential Conversions Still Come Down to a Few Hard Truths

Office-to-residential conversions can work, but only when basis, building design, rents, timelines, and incentives align tightly enough to make the capital stack pencil.

https://propmodo.com/why-office-to-residential-conversions-still-come-down-to-a-few-hard-truths/

Is Your Parking Facility Making Money While You Sleep?

Parking structures often sit empty for hours at a time. As downtown recovery lags and costs rise, operators are finding new ways to monetize underused parking through EV charging and off-peak leasing.

https://propmodo.com/is-your-parking-facility-making-money-while-you-sleep/

AI Search Is Changing How Renters Find Apartments and Most Landlords Are Missing It

AI tools like ChatGPT are changing how renters find apartments, with new research showing 12 percent already use AI in their search. Here is what multifamily operators need to know about marketing in a click-free world.

https://propmodo.com/ai-search-is-changing-how-renters-find-apartments-and-most-landlords-are-missing-it/

Beyond the AI Bubble: Building Enduring Intelligence for Real Estate

In order to prevent an AI bubble, real estate tech companies are having to prove practical uses of artificial intlligence that can actually work at scale to help opperators save time and money.

https://propmodo.com/beyond-the-ai-bubble-building-enduring-intelligence-for-real-estate/

Propmodo Technology is edited by Franco Faraudo with contributions from readers like you and the Propmodo team.

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