The Untapped Opportunity to Turn Multifamily Into a Hospitality Business With Alfred’s Marcela Sapone

• Decoding Real Estate podcast: How multifamily owners are borrowing from hospitality to create service-driven buildings that unlock new revenue.

• Suited up: Zillow is hit with a new steering lawsuit tied to its agent and mortgage programs.

• Sphere fever: James Dolan wants to bring the Sphere spectacle to the DC region as immersive entertainment surges in popularity.

• Security tech webinar: Security and access decisions are becoming operational strategy, not just protection. Sign up

The Untapped Opportunity to Turn Multifamily Into a Hospitality Business With Alfred’s Marcela Sapone

Multifamily buildings are being pushed to evolve beyond static assets as resident expectations continue to rise. Today’s renters are looking for more than functional spaces and amenity checklists. They want buildings that feel intentional, responsive, and human, borrowing cues from hospitality without losing sight of what long-term living requires. That shift, and what it means for owners and operators, is explored in the latest episode of Propmodo’s Decoding Real Estate podcast.

The conversation focuses on why delivering a hospitality-style experience is less about technology and more about how buildings are operated day to day. Vertically integrated owners, in particular, have an opportunity to rethink their role, moving from passive managers to active service providers. The discussion highlights how trust, consistency, and human interaction shape resident satisfaction, whether through maintenance teams, on-site staff, or the overall culture of a building.

It also looks at how automation and AI are changing the way buildings interact with residents, freeing teams from routine tasks while making it more important to be intentional about where people stay involved. As the industry faces growing competition and higher expectations, the takeaway is clear: multifamily will increasingly be defined by the quality of service it delivers, not just the assets it owns.

Overheard

Another Steering Lawsuit Adds to Zillow’s Legal Woes

Zillow is facing another lawsuit accusing the company of steering, this time from agents who say they were pressured to route buyers toward Zillow Home Loans in order to maintain access to leads and favorable placement on the platform. The complaint argues that Zillow’s Premier Agent, Flex and Preferred programs create a system where agents who do not comply risk losing visibility, deal flow and CRM access. The case adds to a growing body of claims that question how neutral Zillow’s marketplace really is.

This lawsuit does not stand alone. Zillow is already entangled in multiple legal fights that touch different parts of its business. The FTC and several states are suing Zillow and Redfin over an alleged agreement that reduced competition in rental listings. Compass has challenged Zillow’s listing access rules, arguing they disadvantage certain brokerages. CoStar is pursuing a high-profile copyright case tied to listing photos and data. Together, these disputes point to mounting pressure on Zillow’s role as both a platform and an active participant in transactions.

For Zillow, the issue is less about any single case and more about cumulative risk. Each lawsuit chips away at the idea that Zillow operates as a neutral marketplace rather than a gatekeeper with economic leverage over agents, lenders, and competitors. Even if cases drag on, the distraction, cost, and reputational impact can shape product decisions and partnerships. As regulators and rivals continue to scrutinize platform power in housing, Zillow may be forced to change its business plan.

The Sphere Is Coming to Washington D.C.’s Backyard

James Dolan wants to bring the spectacle of the Las Vegas Sphere to the East Coast. Sphere Entertainment has unveiled plans for a 6,000-seat, orb-shaped immersive venue at National Harbor outside Washington, DC, backed by roughly $200 million in public and private investment.

The scaled-down Sphere would be the company’s second U.S. location and its first smaller-format design, anchoring a year-round entertainment draw projected to generate more than $1 billion annually. State and county officials are pitching it as one of the largest economic development wins in Prince George’s County history, adding thousands of construction and permanent jobs to a district that already attracts more than 15 million visitors a year.

But the bigger story isn’t the building, it’s the model. The Sphere shows how entertainment real estate is shifting from venue-based programming to permanent experiential infrastructure, where the attraction itself becomes the content engine. If the Las Vegas economics can be replicated at a smaller scale, Sphere-style developments could start showing up not just as destinations, but as strategic anchors reshaping mixed-use districts, tourism corridors, and municipal investment strategies nationwide.

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

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