Spotlight on the Future: Showcasing PropTech’s Best Kept Secret at NAA Apartmentalize 2025

Las Vegas in June is no stranger to heat, but this year, the temperature wasn’t the only thing rising. At NAA Apartmentalize, the energy was electric, the conversations were bold, and the spotlight was firmly fixed on the future of multifamily housing.  

NAA Apartmentalize brought together thousands of professionals from across the rental housing industry under the theme “Spotlight on the Future | Spotlight on Success | Spotlight on Innovation.” And innovation was everywhere across the convention center.  

From the moment attendees stepped into the convention center, MRI Software’s presence was impossible to miss. “Proptech’s Best Kept Secret” was out, and the message was clear: MRI’s solutions help serve 11.7 million units in the United States, including 88% of the NMHC Top 50.  

The future of AI-powered property management was on full display at Sunshine Falls — MRI’s PropTech utopia — and at the booths of 33 MRI Partners in the exhibit hall.  

In case you missed it, or want a refresher, let’s deal up the biggest learnings from a busy week in Las Vegas.  

AI Moves from Buzzword to Business Driver

It turns out you really can’t spell ApartmentalIze without AI. 

AI was everywhere at Apartmentalize this year. Across the exhibit floor, PropTech solutions touted AI agents that streamline operations, AI chatbots that accelerate leasing, and AI-powered business intelligence solutions that turn data into insights.  

As attendees saw, AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s making PropTech smarter, and, when implemented correctly, it drives value for their businesses.  

Attendees from across the multifamily industry are no longer asking if they should adopt AI — they’re asking which aspects of their businesses will benefit the most from it, and which solutions will deliver on their promises.  

MRI Software showcased intuitive, purpose-built AI capabilities designed to drive productivity and enhance decision-making: 

• Ask Agora for Page Assistance – An in-page AI assistant that offers contextual recommendations and insight to improve efficiency and productivity while ensuring a private, secure user experience. 

• Agora Actions for month-end reconciliation – An AI agent within MRI Property Management X (PMX) that is anticipated to shorten the month-end close process, saving significant time for accounting and finance teams. 

These new AI features are designed to integrate into existing workflows, delivering immediate value without a steep learning curve.  

From the Stage: Findings from Community Managers

Regardless of the promise of AI, the multifamily industry will forever be about people. 

In a session moderated by NAA’s Leah Cuffy, MRI’s Brian Zrimsek and Peak Management’s Naomi Wolfe, attendees learned the latest insights from the Voice of the Property Manager Report. Based on responses from 1,000 rental housing professionals, the report portrays a workforce facing significant challenges. Many respondents stated that they feel isolated, overworked, and affected by frequent turnover. 

Despite these pressures, the findings also reveal a strong sense of resilience. An encouraging 74% of respondents still see themselves working in property management three years from now. 

How do you maintain and empower the strong majority that wants to stay in property management? The panel emphasized that intentional leadership can make a meaningful difference. Practices such as fostering transparency, holding regular team meetings, and helping staff connect day-to-day activities to the rest of the business can engender a more motivated workforce. Technology is also a critical tool to address burnout and better support onsite teams by offloading repetitive, time-consuming tasks through AI-powered tools and selectively centralized operations. 

Check out the full report for more insights. 

From the Stage: Fraud in the Age of AI

On the final day of the conference, MRI experts were joined by Stephanie Jackson of RAM Partners and Chris Loebsack of Loebsack & Brownlee for a session titled “How to Fight Fraud in the Age of AI.” This marked the third consecutive year this group came together to explore the evolving landscape of application fraud and the strategies property management companies (PMCs) can use to prevent it. 

While AI plays a positive role in supporting property management, it also equips fraudsters with new capabilities to secure housing illegally. Bad actors are now using tools like FraudGPT to generate fake IDs, paystubs, and bank statements. Fraudsters are even promoting their services on social platforms, offering “fraud-as-a-service” packages to apartment applicants for just a few hundred dollars. 

Given how sophisticated these schemes have become, the session emphasized the need for a layered defense strategy, what the panel called the “Swiss Cheese Model.” This method combines advanced technologies, such as ID and income verification tools and screening risk indicators, with human oversight. While having the right tools is essential, their effectiveness depends on consistent use and collaboration. Teams must be trained to recognize red flags, apply tools reliably, and share insights across properties and regions to stay one step ahead of fraud. 

From the Booth to the Bark Park

Meanwhile, the Sunshine Falls booth experience offered a vibrant, immersive look at MRI’s solutions in action. Visitors could look under the hood at MRI Agora Insights, demo CheckpointID’s ID verification technology on a giant tablet, see how MRI Engage is accelerating applications by 60%, and learn why MRI PMX is the property management software designed for whatever comes next.  

MRI also broke bread (and a Piñata) at the booth with its newest partner,  Piñata Rent, a leading rent rewards and credit-building platform. By embedding Piñata’s perks directly into MRI RentPayment, property managers can boost on-time payments, resident engagement and retention, while giving renters real financial benefits for simply paying rent. 

MRI’s presence also extended far beyond the booth. At Podcast Palooza, attendees stepped into a speakeasy-style debate hosted by MRI’s Justin Dilley and moderated by Eric Walsh, Executive Managing Director of MRI North America. The lively discussion between Gladys Stephenson and Ian Bingham brought fresh perspectives and entertainment.  

And yes, the Bark Park was back, because otherwise, who else was going to hold the puppies between sessions? 

 

Apartmentalize 2025 was a powerful reminder that the future of multifamily isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. And with the right strategies, the right insights, and the right tools, the industry is more than ready to meet the moment. 

Want to relive the excitement of Apartmentalize and see more cute puppy pictures? Check out the NAA Apartmentalize 2025 recap here.