Multifamily in Transition: Market Shifts, Brokerage Life, and AI’s Role

Summary

In this live-recorded episode of The Blueprint Tour from the 2024 CREI Summit in Atlanta, hosts Kenny Shultz and Carter Huddleston sit down with Brandon Rush, a multifamily broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial. After more than a decade in IT leadership, Brandon made the leap into commercial real estate, bringing with him a systems-driven mindset and a focus on people-first relationships.

The conversation dives into the evolving multifamily market, the realities of brokerage life, and the power of teams and systems in moving deals efficiently. Brandon also shares how his IT background prepared him for brokerage, why time freedom drove his career shift, and how networking—both in person at conferences and online through Twitter Spaces—has shaped his business development.

Beyond real estate, the trio explores the fast-changing role of artificial intelligence in CRE: from automating marketing materials and writing client emails to addressing cybersecurity risks and imagining AI’s future impact on the industry. It’s a candid, practical, and forward-looking discussion for brokers, investors, engineers, and anyone curious about where multifamily and technology intersect.

Keywords

CREI Summit, commercial real estate, Brandon Rush, Coldwell Banker Commercial, multifamily brokerage, brokerage life, CRE brokerage, real estate licensing, CRE conferences, commercial real estate market, market cycles, price trends, deal flow, teams and systems, AI in brokerage, AI in CRE, prompt injection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, real estate technology, multifamily investing, networking, CRE community

Takeaways

• Freedom of time and unlimited earning potential drove Brandon’s leap from IT into brokerage.

• Strong systems and teams allow brokers to scale deal flow instead of getting stuck in the details.

• The multifamily market in 2024 is showing price softening and buyer opportunities.

• Networking at conferences and on platforms like Twitter Spaces builds trust and community in CRE.

• AI tools can streamline emails, marketing materials, and even client communications.

• Risks like prompt injection attacks highlight the importance of AI literacy in business.

• CRE professionals can gain an edge by embracing AI early, rather than waiting on the sidelines.

Sound Bites

“Freedom of time was the biggest reason I jumped into brokerage.” – Brandon Rush

“With the right systems in place, you get the listing and move on to the next one.” – Brandon Rush

“Sometimes the biggest IT problems are solved just by turning it off and back on again.” – Brandon Rush

“I probably spend a huge part of my day just talking to ChatGPT—it’s like my best friend.” – Brandon Rush

“Now is a good time to buy. When others are fearful, that’s when you need to be greedy.” – Brandon Rush

Chapters

1. Welcome and CREI Summit Intro

2. Meet Brandon Rush: From IT to Brokerage

3. Why Freedom of Time Drove the Career Switch

4. The Realities of Brokerage Life & Licensing

5. Systems, Teams, and Scaling Deal Flow

6. Market Shifts in Multifamily Real Estate

7. Networking at Conferences and Twitter Spaces

8. The IT Background: Lessons for Real Estate

9. AI in CRE: From Emails to Risk and Beyond

10. Risks of Prompt Injection and Cybersecurity in AI

11. The Future of AI in Commercial Real Estate

12. Final Thoughts and Where to Find Brandon

Where to Find Brandon Rush

LinkedIn · Coldwell Banker Commercial

Where to Find The Blueprint Tour

YouTube · TikTok · TheBPTour.com · Kenny (Host) · Carter (Host)