Franco Faraudo

San Diego

Editor and Co-Founder at Propmodo

Co-founder of @propmodo, a publication about innovation in the built world. Tweets are for me but I’ll let you read them I guess.

Featured in: Favicon

propmodo.com Favicon

medium.com Favicon

inman.com

chireviewofbooks.com Favicon

builtworlds.com Favicon

yieldpro.com Favicon

constructionhq.world

Articles

Will Rising Costs and Labor Shortages Push 3D Printing Into the Mainstream?

1 week ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

The construction industry is under a lot of pressure right now. On one hand is the pressure to build. The U.S. is experiencing a growing housing shortage that has created an opportunity for builders who can produce the much needed homes. On the other hand is the economic and political situation. High interest rates have made construction loans prohibitively expensive.
End of Clear Cooperation Has Allowed Brokerages to Create More Brand Value

1 week ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

The cornerstone of the nation's most powerful trade group, the National Association of Realtors, has been an agreement stating that any new listing must be put on a local listing service within 24 hours of it being marketed to the public. After a number of expensive lawsuits, NAR has changed the rule to allow for "delayed marketing exempt listings," which is designed to give more options to sellers.
Opendoor Settles With Investors Over "Misleading" Claims About Its Pricing Tech

1 week ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

Opendoor has agreed to pay $39 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by investors.
What Impact Will Tariffs Have on Mexican Real Estate?

1 week ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

If you asked most people which country is America's largest trading partner, they would probably say China. The U.S.-China relationship often dominates global headlines and political discussions. But, China is not the U.S.'s largest trading partner. That title goes to its southern neighbor, Mexico. In 2023, the U.S. imported about $475 billion worth of goods from Mexico, while Mexico imported roughly $323 billion from the U.S. This accounts for around 15 percent of total U.S. trade.
State Farm's Response to LA Fires Is Being Investigated

1 week ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

California's Insurance Commissioner announced that it will be conducting a formal investigation into State Farm's response to claims related to the recent Los Angeles wildfires. The investigation was started due to the high number of complaints that have been filed against State Farm by fire survivors. The complaints claim that State Farm has not managed the process well, often times reassigning adjusters and forcing policyholders to start the process over several times.
CEOs of Redfin and Rocket Companies Explain the Recent Merger

2 weeks ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

Rocket Companies, parent company of Rocket Mortgages, made the surprise move of acquiring the online listing platform Redfin for $1.17 billion earlier this year. Now the CEOs of both companies have gotten together to answer a Q&A about why the two companies thought they were better together. One of the main reasons for the merger was to help bring more transparency to the home buying process.
Can AI Really Help Speed Up the Construction Permitting Process?

2 weeks ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

In April 2025, California introduced an AI-powered "e-check" tool to expedite the building permit approval process in Los Angeles, aiming to accelerate recovery from the Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Developed by Archistar, the software employs computer vision, machine learning, and automated rulesets to instantly assess building designs against local zoning and building codes.
Starwood's Controversial Redemption Limit Might Be Its Savior

2 weeks ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

A flood of redemption requests-roughly $850 million-has put Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT) under pressure. With its NAV down about 40% from its 2022 peak and share prices off ~24%, CEO Barry Sternlicht opted for the industry's tightest redemption cap, now at just 1.5% of NAV per quarter, to avoid fire sales of distressed assets. This unpopular move is steering the fund away from forced property exits and toward strategic portfolio management.
Residential Landlords Brace for Stagnant Rent Growth

2 weeks ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

The last few decades have been good for residential landlords. Rents have continued to go up, despite a pandemic, a high inflationary period, and high interest rates. But new numbers show that the good times might be coming to an end. Rents are still growing, but at a much slower pace. Some of the hottest markets like Austin, Denver, and Phoenix are starting to see the effects of the recent boom in multifamily development. Jobs are often the biggest contributing factor to rent prices.
Changes to Government Office Facilities Create Opportunity for Secure Co-Working Spaces

2 weeks ago | propmodo.com | Franco Faraudo

The federal government has been canceling office leases and selling underutilized office buildings in an attempt to cut spending. In a perfect world, federal employees could work from co-working spaces and eliminate the need for dedicated offices. But there is a hitch: many government workers and defense contractors need facilities that are designed for secure communication. Co-working providers are starting to get security clearance to help solve this problem.