Raphael Sidelsky sits down with Brandon Shorenstein, Chairman and CEO of Shorenstein Realty Services, to discuss the firm’s evolution from a San Francisco office operator into a national institutional real estate platform. Brandon shares how Shorenstein has refined its investment strategy to combine bottom-up underwriting with top-down market analysis, focusing on markets and micro-markets with strong leasing demand, low vacancy, and attractive long-term fundamentals. He discusses recent acquisitions across Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta, New York, and other markets; opportunities emerging from the post-COVID reset in office values; and why smaller, high-quality assets are increasingly attractive. Brandon also provides insight into the recovery of office debt markets, Shorenstein’s current fundraising efforts, and the importance of discipline and staying focused on areas of expertise during periods of market dislocation.

00:00 – The Office Market Has Hit Bottom00:51 – The Shorenstein Family Legacy06:22 – Taking Over the Firm07:41 – A New Approach to Office Investing10:17 – Where Shorenstein Is Buying15:20 – Durable Cash Flow in Office18:21 – Finding Opportunity in the Right Markets23:42 – The New Office Amenities Arms Race25:02 – Is the Office Recovery Real?29:04 – Calling the Bottom in 202430:33 – Advice for the Next Generation32:50 – Carrying the Family Legacy Forward

Zach Aarons, co-founder and partner of MetaProp, joins host Raphael Sidelsky, Director of Equity Strategies at JVP Management and a 1999 Columbia Business School alumnus, on the Real Estate Forum Podcast to discuss how AI is reshaping real estate, PropTech, and the investment landscape. Zach shares his journey from real estate and finance to venture capital and explains how MetaProp evaluates emerging technologies and the founders behind them. He explores AI’s growing impact across real estate—from data centers and office demand to construction, multifamily, retail, and spatial analysis—while highlighting opportunities and challenges for investors. Zach also discusses the future of PropTech, AI-driven fraud and identity verification, and where he sees the most compelling real estate investment opportunities over the next decade.

Be sure to also check out Zach’s podcast, Between Zak and Aaron, with Zach Aarons, for more conversations at the intersection of real estate, technology, and innovation.

00:00 — Is AI Making Real Estate More Valuable?

08:16 — How MetaProp Started

14:07 — AI Is Transforming Construction

19:38 — Will AI Kill the Office?

23:00 — Betting on the Future of Data Centers

27:34 — Where AI Is Changing Real Estate

31:35 — The New Risks of AI

33:24 — The Rise of GeoAI

37:08 — Preparing for Real Estate’s AI Future

44:34 — Building Your Career Story

As Season 2 of the Real Estate Forum Podcast comes to a close, we’re proud to share a recap of a season filled with timely conversations and insights from some of the real estate industry’s most influential leaders and innovators. Hosted by Raphael Sidelsky '99BUS, the season explored the ideas, strategies, and trends shaping the future of real estate across global markets.

This season featured conversations with Hossein Fateh (CHQ), Anar Chudgar (Artemis Partners), Meredith Marshall '92BUS (BRP), Keith Breslauer (Patron Capital), David O'Reilly '01BUS (Howard Hughes), Lauren Hochfelder (Morgan Stanley), and Gregorio Schneider '96BUS (TC Latin America Partners).

Across investment, development, leadership, and global market strategy, guests shared perspectives on navigating today’s evolving real estate landscape and the opportunities shaping the industry ahead.