Robot Landlords Are Buying Up Pgh Houses episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 4, 2023 · 16 MIN

Robot Landlords Are Buying Up Pgh Houses

from City Cast Pittsburgh · host City Cast

Imagine you could rent an apartment without ever speaking to a human being. The entire process would be totally automated, from viewing the rental to paying a deposit to picking up keys.  That’s already happening here in Pittsburgh and a few other post-industrial cities, where “automated landlord” companies are buying up properties and outsourcing management to apps and algorithms. And while it might sound like a dream if you’ve ever had a nightmare landlord, freelance journalist Nick Keppler says this trend could put home ownership further out of reach for Pittsburgh residents. He joins us to discuss his recent reporting for Vice. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

Imagine you could rent an apartment without ever speaking to a human being. The entire process would be totally automated, from viewing the rental to paying a deposit to picking up keys.  That’s already happening here in Pittsburgh and a few other post-industrial cities, where “automated landlord” companies are buying up properties and outsourcing management to apps and algorithms. And while it might sound like a dream if you’ve ever had a nightmare landlord, freelance journalist Nick Keppler says this trend could put home ownership further out of reach for Pittsburgh residents. He joins us to discuss his recent reporting for Vice. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!

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Robot Landlords Are Buying Up Pgh Houses

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This episode was published on January 4, 2023.

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Imagine you could rent an apartment without ever speaking to a human being. The entire process would be totally automated, from viewing the rental to paying a deposit to picking up keys.  That’s already happening here in Pittsburgh and a few other...

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