Published on October 18th, 2024
By Brittany Benz

FUTURE, the Real Estate Conference by AppFolio, has officially wrapped! This must-attend event proved to be a major success for attendees looking to learn, get inspired, and ultimately stay ahead in the real estate industry. 

Featuring more than 90 industry speakers, 40+ inspiring sessions, two keynotes, and a Boyz II Men concert, FUTURE proved to be an event not to miss. 

This annual conference brought industry leaders, innovators, and experts together to explore, teach, share unique points of view, and discuss technology, tools, and trends.

With the convergence of AI and real estate at the heart of this year’s event, attendees had the chance to gain insights, develop strategies, and network with peers to stay both informed and competitive in the ever-evolving property management landscape. 

Now that the conference has concluded, let’s take a look at some valuable highlights from a few of the most impactful sessions, which included expert speakers from organizations including Zillow, NAA, Realync, and NMHC. 

In case you missed it, AppFolio also announced several new and innovative product capabilities to customers and attendees, summarized below. 

Key Sessions to Revisit and Recap 

Opening Keynote: See the Future With Best-Selling Author Daniel Pink

The event kicked off with an energizing keynote from renowned author Daniel Pink. Pink shared forward-thinking ideas and offered inspiring insights that set the tone for a holistic conference experience. 

The Winning Formula: Zillow’s Secrets to Creating High-Impact Property Listings

In this session, Erica Rasmussen, Senior Product Manager at Zillow, shared data-backed insights for creating effective property listings. Attendees learned the optimal combination of photos, content, and key details to make their listings stand out. Zillow experts also revealed the common themes for listings that spent the least time on the market and strategies for replicating this success with other properties.

Attendees Learned: The “perfect formula” to help properties get noticed and leased faster. In a competitive market, an optimized listing could mean the difference between a quick lease and prolonged vacancies.

Stand Out From the Competition: 2024 Renter Preferences Research Insights

As generative AI and other technical advancements continue to become more integrated into everyday life, it has become critical to track evolving renter expectations. This session dove into findings from the 2024 AppFolio Renter Preferences Research Report, as well as additional relevant data sources. Attendees learned what renters now expect from their technology interactions and how these preferences should shape property management strategies and operations.

Takeaway: Stay ahead of the curve by learning how to implement technology in ways that improve both resident satisfaction and operational efficiency. Understanding these trends is crucial for delivering an exceptional resident experience while meeting business goals.

The Power of AI & ChatGPT: Easy-to-Implement Use Cases for Multifamily

AI is no longer the future — it’s the present. In this accessible and impactful session, speakers demystified how AI and ChatGPT can transform property management workflows. Attendees discovered how AI can transform their multifamily business by optimizing leasing, marketing, operations, and maintenance workflows through specialized prompts tailored to the real estate industry.

Top Takeaways: This session provided 50+ actionable ideas for immediately enhancing your business’s performance with AI. Whether new to AI or already exploring its benefits, attendees gained practical insights to help optimize operations and improve renter engagement and experiences. 

Did you miss this session? Be sure to register for the 2025 FUTURE: The Real Estate Conference by AppFolio. 

Know Your Market, Own Your Market: Mastering Regional Trends in Property Management

Industry experts also unpacked the latest regional market trends currently affecting property management businesses. With a comprehensive overview of current market data and topics like rent growth, vacancy rates, new construction, and key economic indicators, attendees gained insights to make informed decisions and develop smart strategies for their businesses.

Highlights Included: Understanding market shifts and capitalizing on emerging opportunities with an in-depth look at regional trends. Tracking local market trends allows you to stay ahead of the competition and to remain profitable. 

Successful Centralization: Top Operators Share Their Hard-Won Lessons

In this engaging session, leading industry operators described their personal journeys and shared crucial lessons they’ve learned along the way. Attendees were shown how to avoid common pitfalls and how to effectively implement centralization strategies to benefit both their teams and broader organizations.

Valuable Aspects of This Session: Leaders from AppFolio, Property Meld, TFT Consulting, and Velo Residential came together to discuss and explore the nuances of centralization to streamline operations and boost your bottom line in a competitive market. Professionals who attended this session now have the opportunity to transform their operational approaches, with the shared goal of achieving peak efficiency. 

Closing Keynote: Embrace the Future with Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings

This year’s conference concluded with an inspiring address from Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, alongside AppFolio innovators. This final keynote left attendees enthused and ready to tackle new challenges, supported with both transformative ideas and strategies to drive success in future endeavors.

Powerful Innovation From a Proven Partner: Highlights From AppFolio’s Latest Advancements

As a leader in real estate technology, AppFolio is dedicated to accelerating innovation. Through product development advancements and by learning from the industry’s leaders at events like FUTURE, AppFolio continues to deliver new, powerful tools designed to transform the property management landscape. The following are some recently announced products and enhancements that will set a new standard in the industry.

Realm-X to Be Enabled in All Accounts

Earlier this year, AppFolio made Realm-X available to any users who enabled it. Now Realm-X will be enabled in all accounts — starting with FUTURE attendees and followed by everyone in the coming weeks. This is especially significant for those eager to start implementing the new Realm-X Flows to automate processes and boost productivity.

Realm-X officially includes three components:

• Realm-X Flows: A workflow automation engine that standardizes processes to increase speed, efficiency, and consistency.
• Realm-X Messages: A reimagined inbox that sorts, acts on, and responds to resident messages.
• Realm-X Assistant: A copilot experience accessible everywhere in AppFolio to help users complete tasks quickly and efficiently.

On average, Realm-X users save 9.7 to 11.9 hours per week on reporting, communication, and task management, making it a time-saving powerhouse for property management teams.

Coming Soon: FolioSpace

FolioSpace is an upcoming addition that will redefine the resident experience by centralizing all key touch points into one seamless journey. This tool is designed to enhance resident satisfaction while providing property managers with an efficient, user-friendly platform to meet business goals. FolioSpace promises a hassle-free experience for residents and measurable value for property management professionals.

Screening Enhancements with Document Verification

AppFolio’s latest screening enhancements make it easier to verify the authenticity of applicant-provided documentation. By introducing Document Verification as part of the Income Verification (IV) service, AppFolio enables you to conduct both document-level and field-level checks on uploaded pay stubs. This enhancement adds an extra layer of reliability to the screening process by delivering the verified document, the pay stub, and income data if it passes verification.

Reporting Enhancements: New Interface for Better Insights

AppFolio’s reporting enhancements have redefined the way property management professionals measure and present performance data. Our enhanced user-friendly interface allows you to easily navigate, customize views, and create polished reports, all designed to empower you to share meaningful insights with stakeholders effortlessly.

Looking Forward to Seeing You Next Year at FUTURE

FUTURE, the Real Estate Conference by AppFolio, is an unmissable event for anyone in the real estate industry. With a stellar lineup of top-notch speakers and sessions covering everything from AI’s transformative power to market trends and renter preferences, attendees will gain the knowledge and strategies to stay ahead of the competition and drive their business forward. 

Ready to plan your 2025 experience? If you haven’t done so already, register now to secure your spot for next year’s FUTURE event. Don’t miss out on the chance to learn, network, and grow!