To start, tell us about your role and why proptech belongs on the main stage at tech events.

Kelly: I am the President of Rose Valley Management, and we operate across property management and acquisitions. Today, you cannot be in real estate without being in proptech. The two are inseparable. I am excited to see proptech represented at major technology gatherings. This year marks the ten year anniversary of the AI Summit, and it is the first time I have seen proptech have a visible place in the conversation. That kind of cross pollination matters. Every time real estate engages with leaders from adjacent sectors, it helps move our industry forward.

Innovation in real estate has taken time. I have been in property management for three decades, and we have seen more progress in the past five years than in the previous twenty five. COVID forced the issue for a high touch business. Residents did not want to stand in offices or tour apartments in person. They wanted to interact online and complete tasks through digital channels. That pressure sped up adoption and nudged the sector into modern tools. It has not been easy on every site team, but it has created the chance for real estate and technology to truly meet.

What emerging technology is having the biggest impact on real estate today?

Kelly: Smart home capabilities are top of mind because residents feel the benefits immediately. People want to unlock doors with a phone instead of juggling keys. They expect to pay rent and fees online, submit requests digitally, and complete transactions in a touchless way.

On the operations side, building systems are getting smarter. Leak detection, boiler monitoring, and other sensors help teams detect issues early. In multifamily, the priorities differ from single family. Owners care deeply about energy management at scale. If a resident turns up the heat and leaves a window open, centralized controls and analytics can bring temperatures back to reasonable levels, prevent waste, and protect the asset. That is better for the environment and for financial performance.

The common thread is that intelligence is shifting to the edge, and data from devices is feeding more responsive service. When implemented well, those tools improve the resident experience and give management teams actionable visibility across portfolios.

What are the biggest barriers to adopting innovation across the industry?

Kelly: Regulation and trust are at the top of the list. Our industry has seen high profile scrutiny around pricing and revenue management, including the widely discussed RealPage litigation related to antitrust concerns. One lesson is that regulation often trails technology. Tools can move faster than the rules. Then guidance arrives, and operators and vendors must adjust quickly.

We are seeing a clearer boundary emerge. Using public information to inform pricing is different from sharing non public client data across competitors. That distinction matters. As the industry modernizes, companies need compliance built into their systems and practices. It is not enough to deploy technology. You have to govern it.

There are also operational barriers. Many site teams are stretched, and adding new tools can feel like another job. Integration and change management make or break adoption. Solutions must be easy to use, easy to train, and easy to support. When technology is fragmented or creates duplicate work, it stalls. When it fits naturally into daily workflows and reduces friction, it takes off.

Where do you see the most exciting opportunities for innovation right now?

Kelly: Real estate is always tied to macro trends. Interest rates, employment, and consumer confidence all flow through to demand and behavior. Recently, high interest rates meant fewer renters moving into first time homeownership. Residents stayed longer in apartments and arrived with higher expectations. They are often young professionals paying more and expecting more. That raises the bar for service and amenity delivery. Technology can help meet those expectations with better communication, faster turnaround, and more transparent processes.

At the same time, proptech has become a crowded market. I have seen lists with a thousand companies. There is a lot of noise. Selecting the right tools for a specific strategy is hard. The biggest white space I see is in maintenance. We have strong progress in detection and prevention, such as sensors that predict failures, but the physical work still needs people. When a pipe bursts or a toilet fails, someone must show up and fix it. This is a high touch industry at its core. The next wave should focus on enhancing technician productivity end to end. That could mean better triage, dynamic scheduling, parts logistics, guided diagnostics, or augmented reality for complex repairs. Anything that reduces time to resolution and repeat visits will pay off.

There is also room for smarter portfolio level insights that operators can actually use. Many dashboards exist, but the best ones convert data into clear actions. Which buildings need attention today. Which units are likely to see issues this week. Which vendor relationships are delivering the best outcomes. Insights should be timely, trusted, and tied to measurable results.

How should companies approach implementation so they get value faster and avoid missteps?

Kelly: Start with a clear problem statement and a small pilot that proves value, but build the pilot with production in mind. Think about data quality, user access, security, and integration from the beginning. Make sure the user experience is excellent for both residents and staff. If a tool saves time for headquarters but adds time on site, it will fail.

Create a feedback loop. Train teams, listen to what they struggle with, and iterate quickly. Adoption is not a one time launch. It takes ongoing engagement. Choose vendors who behave like partners, who can adjust roadmaps, and who are transparent about performance. Finally, document outcomes and share them. When teams see results and feel heard, they become champions.

What will it take to truly transform the resident experience over the next few years?

Kelly: Consistency and speed win trust. Residents want answers without chasing people and resolutions without repeat requests. That means connecting systems so that information flows and the right person gets notified at the right time. It also means maintaining the human touch. Technology should remove friction and free teams to show up where it matters most, in moments that require empathy and judgment. When you combine responsive digital service with capable people, you deliver an experience that stands out.

Conclusion

Real estate is entering a period of accelerated improvement, powered by practical technology and grounded leadership. Smart buildings, connected operations, and data informed decisions can raise performance and satisfy higher expectations. But tools alone are not the answer. The winners will align innovation with compliance, integrate technology into daily work, and invest in people. When that happens, proptech stops being a buzzword and becomes the quiet engine that makes buildings run better, residents happier, and portfolios stronger.