Talk to Your Data: John Zalkin - AdviseAI (& RKW)

In this episode of Deal Flow Friday, David Moghavem sits down with John Zalkin, founder of AdviseAI, to discuss how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the real estate industry. John shares his background scaling RKW from a startup third-party management platform into a major multifamily operator, and how that experience now informs his work helping owners, developers, and operators implement AI inside their businesses.The conversation covers the shift from simple generative AI tools to agentic AI workflows that can automate leasing reports, acquisition screening, underwriting support, CRM follow-up, investor DDQs, and internal data analysis. John explains how AdviseAI acts as a fractional chief AI officer, helping real estate firms build practical systems around their existing data, software, and workflows.David and John also explore a key tension in the AI era: while automation can eliminate repetitive work, the real advantage may come from using that saved time to build stronger human relationships. From conferences and handwritten notes to investor follow-up and sales pipelines, John argues that the operators who combine AI fluency with real relationship-building will be the ones who win.Chapters00:00 Introduction to John Zalkin01:44 Building RKW into 35,000+ Units09:13 How AdviseAI Started13:27 The AdviseAI Ecosystem: One Pane of Glass24:16 Why Real Estate-Specific LLMs Beat General Ones27:16 The DIY Trap: "It Just Keeps Breaking"30:27 Customer-Centric Approaches in AI Advisory33:27 The Importance of Personal Touch in a Digital Age36:10 Inside John's Daily AI Workflow with ARIA49:14 Streamlining Processes with AI and Automationwww.dealflowfriday.comIG: @dealflowfridayX: @dealflowfriday