Samsung built its empire by starting in consumer tech and quietly moving upmarket. Now it’s bringing that same strategy to commercial real estate with SmartThings Pro, a building management platform designed to pull enterprise-grade functionality out of consumer-scale technology.

Rather than targeting trophy towers with complex BMS stacks, Samsung is aiming squarely at the vast middle of the market—multifamily, retail, hospitality, and small commercial buildings that have long been priced out of traditional automation systems but still need smarter operations.

With hundreds of millions of connected devices already deployed and a platform-first approach that favors software, diagnostics, and integrations over heavy equipment, SmartThings Pro raises a bigger question: whether the future of building technology will be defined by industrial incumbents—or by consumer giants that already live inside the buildings they want to manage.

A high-profile proposal to ban investors from buying single-family homes and other residential properties has stalled in Congress, underscoring how much harder such a policy is to implement than it may sound in theory. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are wary of sweeping restrictions that could unsettle capital flows, distort markets, and invite a raft of legal and practical challenges while doing little to address the underlying supply shortage that contributes to affordability problems.

The idea behind the proposal was to reduce competition for entry-level homes, giving first-time buyers a clearer path to ownership without competing against institutional or individual investors with deeper pockets. But translating that goal into enforceable policy has proven tricky. Questions about how to define an “investor,” how to treat entities like pension funds or small landlords, and how to enforce such a ban across private transactions with minimal federal oversight have bogged down discussions. Real estate markets are decentralized and governed by a patchwork of state and local laws, making a one-size-fits-all federal rule difficult to craft and enforce.

Critics also warn of unintended consequences. Restricting investor purchases could shrink the overall pool of buyers, dampen demand in certain markets, or push capital into less transparent corners of the market. Institutional buyers often provide liquidity and help stabilize pricing cycles; removing them abruptly could have ripple effects on home values, construction financing and broader market confidence. Moreover, defining exceptions for small landlords or retirement funds further complicates enforcement, illustrating that good policy intentions can quickly run into real-world complexity when markets are large and diverse.

The failure of this proposal to gain traction highlights a key lesson about housing policy: banning or restricting market participants is much easier as a slogan than as a workable regulation. Addressing affordability likely requires more nuanced approaches that expand supply, improve financing access and align incentives across stakeholders rather than broad prohibitions that risk creating new distortions in an already challenging market.

Jacksonville officials are considering using public funds to keep EverBank anchored downtown as office vacancy approaches 30 percent and suburban office options offer lower costs. The proposed subsidy would help cover nearly $980,000 per year over a 10-year term at 301 W. Bay St., narrowing a roughly $1.4 million annual savings EverBank could realize by relocating to the Southside. Downtown Investment Authority CEO Colin Tarbert described the move as a defensive strategy to prevent another major vacancy in what he called the city’s weakest office market.

Tarbert warned that losing a tenant of EverBank’s size could stall recent momentum and take years to reverse, noting that Northbank vacancy sits near 29 percent, well above peer Florida downtowns. The proposal, expected to be formally discussed by the Downtown Investment Authority, has raised concerns among city leaders about precedent, especially as demand remains uneven. EverBank occupies space in the nearly 1 million square foot tower at 301 W. Bay St., a property that has seen recent tenant departures and now lists multiple available spaces.

Market observers say the situation reflects broader changes in how downtown office space is used rather than outright decline. Traci Jenks of Cushman & Wakefield points to reinvestment, mixed use development, and infrastructure as long term strengths that could restore vibrancy. The broader takeaway is that cities across the country are being forced to decide whether short term subsidies are a necessary bridge to stabilization or a sign that the traditional downtown office model remains structurally fragile, with public policy increasingly shaping who stays, who leaves, and what urban cores become next.

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

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