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Robot Landlords Are Buying Up Pgh Houses

Robot Landlords Are Buying Up Pgh Houses

City Cast Pittsburgh

January 4, 202316m 51s

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Show Notes

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.


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