Podcast Summary – The David Greene Show
Episode 79: AI’s Future Impact & STR Update With Your Questions Answered
Release Date: August 17, 2025
Host: David Greene

Overview

This "Seeing Greene" episode of The David Greene Show dives into real estate’s shifting landscape from the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI), potential economic downturns, and the evolving challenges in short-term rentals (STRs), all spurred on by audience questions. David offers candid, practical advice while covering market trends, property management experiences, and actionable strategies to navigate the uncertainty facing investors, agents, and landlords.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meetups and Community Engagement

• David encourages listeners to invite him to local investor meetups, particularly in the Midwest.
• He emphasizes the importance of community for learning and support in real estate.
• (03:25) “If you guys would like me to attend a meetup in your area… We’ll work on doing what we can to help you make some money, get to know people, talk about what’s going on in the world of real estate today…”

2. The Future of AI in Banking and Real Estate Brokerage

• Listener Question: How will AI impact jobs in banking and the brokerage industry?
• AI is expected to drastically reduce the need for human workers, with companies eager to replace “bad attitudes” and demanding workers.
• David laments a trend toward “work-life balance” and less work ethic, which he believes has contributed to this shift.
• Predicts widespread job losses and increased government intervention, possibly leading to more socialist policies.
• (07:50) “We sort of brought this on ourselves… We want work-life balance… and this has opened up the door for companies saying, ‘hey, let’s just fund AI and replace human beings’… I think it’s gonna take a lot of jobs and it’s gonna be brutal.”
• No job is truly “safe,” and adaptability is key.
• He invites listeners to his faith-based group, Spartan League, as a support network to prepare for these changes.

3. STR Stories and Advice

• Shares (and critiques) a mock Airbnb host/guest interaction, warning against intrusive hosts and overly demanding guests.
• Real-world STR operations are becoming “crazier and crazier” due to broader societal trends.
• Plans to share more “Airbnb guest from hell” stories and screenshots for educational (and entertainment) purposes.
• (14:30) “Don’t be that person. Don’t be the person that interrupts your guests… There’s way too much of that that goes on in the Airbnb world.”

4. Debt Paydown vs. Investing in a Looming Recession

• Advice not to blanketly pay off all debt, but to be wary of leveraged investing if a deep recession hits.
• Concern that job losses (especially due to AI) will reduce the pool of tenants and buyers.
• Emphasizes the need to seek roles where human connection is still valued (service industries, for example).
• (19:50) “If the recession that I feel is coming is indeed coming… you won’t be buying real estate because your tenants won’t have jobs.”

5. Current Investment Strategy: “Cheap is the New Chic”

• David is investing in affordable markets likely to attract migration as layoffs hit higher-cost areas.
• Example: Post-layoffs at Microsoft/Xbox, many might move out of expensive Seattle to rural/smaller markets.
• (23:40) “Right now, cheap is the new chic. If you’re looking for where you should be investing, ask where people are going to go when they feel like they’re broke and invest there.”

6. Tenant Screening in the Age of AI

• Considers job security (less replaceable by AI) alongside income in tenant applications.
• Screens for credit, past evictions, and (increasingly) the character of the applicant.
• Warns of tenants withholding information (e.g., bringing “service animals” after applying).

7. Interest Rates and Fed Politics

• Listener asks if Fed Chair Powell will be removed and how that’d affect rates.
• David speculates Powell’s exit is likely if pressure mounts for lower rates to fend off recession.
• Predicts his replacement will be “somebody who’s been vetted, who’s like, yeah, I think we should lower rates.”
• (38:15) “If he is [removed], it’s probably a safe bet to say whoever they pick will be someone who thinks we should lower rates.”

8. Real Estate Agent Career Advice & Book Suggestion

• Productivity for new agents:
  • 9am–12pm: lead generation
  • 12pm–2pm: work on deals
  • 2pm–5pm: education
• Suggests new agents “work for free” for top producers to learn and get opportunities.
• Quote: (56:30) “Offer to do things for people for free. Yes, I said it for free. And I’m comfortable saying this because that’s what I did when I was a new agent.”

9. Market Watch: Ohio and Secondary Cities

• Highlights Ohio as a growth market (based on lending activity and demand).
• Predicts “satellite cities” (like Sacramento for the Bay Area, rural areas near Seattle) will absorb migration from high-cost metros hit by job losses.

10. Featured Property: STR in the Smokies

• Showcases a premium, professionally decorated short-term rental with unique permits and seclusion.
• Ups the value of managing “secluded” cabins and offers discounts to show listeners.

11. STR Woes: Airbnbs Gone Wrong

• Shares humorous and cautionary tales: e.g., guests literally trapped in bedrooms (01:32:10), bathroom/bedroom design fails.
• Emphasizes unpredictability and need for resilience as a landlord.

12. Industry News: Commercial Real Estate, AI Tech, and STR Regulations

• Office vacancy rates soar as remote work takes hold; focus shifting to industrial and logistics assets.
• Highlight: AI platforms (e.g., Boulder’s Ridley) challenge traditional agent models with flat-fee home listing and AI-driven tools, but David doubts they can truly replace skilled REALTORS® for getting top dollar.
• (01:17:00) “You can sell your house without an agent… You’re probably going to be getting ripped off… The wrong question is, ‘can I sell it?’ The right question is, ‘can I sell it for the most possible?’”
• Increased regulation in STR markets (e.g., Beverly Hills banning most STRs).
• Airbnb rolls out “in-home services” but David warns about liability issues and guest-favoring policies.
• Political uncertainty (e.g., NYC’s mayoral race) is stoking fears, but David advises scrutiny over panic.

13. Listener Q&A and Community Highlights

• Engages with a broad array of listeners:
  • Reactions to BiggerPockets’ decline post-David
  • Best podcast guests—Jocko Willink named #1 for his blend of humility, discipline, and no-nonsense work ethic.
  • Political feedback: David clarifies he’s “not glazing” or idolizing political figures, just delivering market-relevant information.

Notable Quotes

• On AI’s workplace impact:
  “It’s going to do every single thing that it can to eliminate the need for human beings, human agency, and human contribution… It’s going to take a lot of jobs and I think it’s going to be brutal.” — David Greene (09:40)

• On the service industry and entitlement:
  “You give as good of customer service to humans as you possibly can… We need to look at the things that make human beings valuable, that we value receiving from others, and focus on giving them that.” — David Greene (21:00)

• On investing in cheap markets:
  “Right now, cheap is the new chic… Ask where people are going to go when they feel like they’re broke and invest there in those asset classes.” — David Greene (23:45)

• On new real estate agents:
  “Your job is to make yourself that person for everyone in your office… Show up every day and just hear what they complain about and say, ‘let me do that for you.’” — David Greene (56:50)

• On the Culture of Social Media in Real Estate:
  “Stop thinking that your only job is to market yourself and your personality and your cute clothes on social media… Your job should be putting houses in the best condition and selling them for as much money as you can get for your client.” — David Greene (01:21:00)

Memorable Moments & Humor

• STR Mishaps: A couple is locked in their Airbnb bedroom—relatable chaos and landlord anxiety. (01:32:10–01:35:30)
• Bathroom Blunder: A guest in Georgetown, Malaysia, realizes their hotel bathroom window opens directly to a boutique—a moment of comic horror and “explosive” oversharing.

Timestamps Summary

• 00:00 - Show intro, guest call-ins, community engagement
• 07:50 - AI’s impact on banking/brokerage jobs & faith group invite
• 14:30 - Airbnb etiquette and STR guest/host absurdities
• 19:50 - Debt paydown and market caution amid AI/recession
• 23:45 - Real estate investing in cheap markets
• 38:15 - Fed chatter & predictions on interest rates (Powell speculation)
• 56:30 - Real estate agent productivity and career strategy
• 01:17:00 - Real News Report: CRE struggles, AI innovations, STR bans
• 01:32:10 - Airbnb gone wrong: couple locked in their bedroom
• 01:42:00 - Listener comments, BiggerPockets talk, career path reflection
• 01:54:10 - Featured STR property showcase

Tone & Style

David delivers content with a mixture of tough love, humor, nostalgia, and encouragement to adapt. He’s blunt, anti-fluff, sometimes playfully crotchety about “the state of the world,” but always practical and solutions-oriented.

Takeaways for Listeners

• AI will disrupt real estate and banking—prepare and stay adaptable.
• STRs present growing challenges; tenant/guest screening and management are more crucial than ever.
• Seek value in overlooked (“cheap”) markets and don’t over-leverage.
• Human connection and superior customer service are still the best way to defend your professional relevance.
• Ignore the hype: be cautious of media “promotion” and focus on real, actionable strategies.

For more Q&A, market news, and actionable advice, catch The David Greene Show weekly or join David’s community via Instagram or his website.