At the recent Lifestyles Unlimited 2025 EXPO, we had the chance to sit in on one of the most refreshing and down-to-earth conversations on AI we’ve heard in a while. The panel featured some sharp minds in our industry — Corey Muldrow, Kevin Chalmers, Brian Weigum, and Geoff Zickler — who all shared how they’re using AI in their day-to-day work across operations, marketing, and underwriting.
The room was filled with multifamily owners from all experience levels. Many folks were Gen X or Boomers, and while about half said they use ChatGPT “at least semi-frequently,” the vibe in the room made it clear: a lot of people are curious, but still figuring things out. Which honestly, is right where most of the industry is. And that’s OK.
A Simple Framework for Writing Better Prompts
One of the most helpful takeaways from the panel was a simple three-part framework for writing effective prompts:
- Lead In – Start by telling the AI who you want it to be. Think of it like assigning a role: “Act as an experienced multifamily asset manager…” or “You are a CPA with 30 years of experience…”
- The Question or Content – Clearly state the situation, challenge, or question. Give it some context.
- The Deliverable – Let it know what you want back. “Give me a list,” “Write me an email,” “Summarize this in a paragraph,” etc.
It sounds simple, but this one tip could save you and your team hours of trial and error.
A Real-Life Example (From Our Founder Jon Simpson)
After the panel, I was eating lunch with my 75-year-old dad, who’s still a practicing CPA. I asked him to write down a tricky question he’s dealt with before to test the framework — something he knew the answer to, but that was hard to explain.
We typed up the question and told ChatGPT to act as an experienced CPA and write an email to a client explaining how to handle it.
It took two minutes to write the prompt and 30 seconds to get the answer. He read it, looked at me, and said, “That’s exactly what I would have written.”
Boom. That’s the power of a well-written prompt.
Don’t Be Scared of “Prompt Engineering”
Let’s be real, “prompt engineering” sounds way more intimidating than it actually is. If you can talk to a team member, you can talk to an AI tool.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t walk into your office and say to your team, “Tax.” That’s how a lot of people treat AI — just tossing in a keyword and hoping for gold.
Instead, treat the AI like you would any new hire. Give it context. Give it direction. Be specific about what you need. That’s when the magic happens.
Final Thoughts
The panel left people wanting more — and rightfully so. There’s a huge opportunity in our industry to make AI accessible and useful for everyday multifamily operations and it starts with taking the fear out of the process.
Thanks again to Corey, Kevin, Brian, and Geoff for a conversation that made AI feel a little less sci-fi and a lot more practical.
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines with AI, now’s the time to jump in. Just remember:
- Tell it who to be.
- Give it a clear question.
- Tell it what kind of answer you want.
That’s it.
And if you need help getting started — well, that’s what we built Swifty for.
