The Profitable Property Management Podcast

The Future of PropTech and Community Building with Wolfgang Croskey

Oct 7, 2025

Wolfgang Croskey, Co-founder of Crane and a property management visionary, dives into the transformative world of PropTech. He shares insights on evaluating new technologies without overwhelm and emphasizes the importance of transparency in vendor relationships. Wolfgang discusses leveraging AI tools for automation and highlights the necessity of security in low-code solutions. He also unveils the community-building efforts at Crane, focusing on time freedom, personal growth, and creating rituals to enhance work-life balance. A must-listen for professionals looking to innovate!

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ANECDOTE

From Zapier To A Custom Operating System

Wolfgang built custom automations by experimenting with Lovable, Replit and OpenAI to fill gaps across his toolstack.
He combined AppFolio, PropertyMeld, LeadSimple and RentEngine into a single OS that surfaces daily priorities for staff.

ADVICE

Don’t Leak API Keys Or Trust Defaults

Avoid hard-coding secrets and assume security is not automatic when building with AI platforms.
Use proper secrets management and explicit security prompts rather than trusting the agent to protect keys.

INSIGHT

Accessible Data Is High-Leverage

Data access and lightweight BI unlocked actionability that used to need expensive tools.
Wolfgang now pulls metrics like owner churn and lease renewals with far less friction using AI-led reporting.

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Welcome to this episode of the Profitable Property Management podcast, where host Jordan Muela welcomes Wolfgang Croskey, Co-Founder of Crane, for a deep dive into the future of PropTech and community-driven growth. From AI automation and vendor relationships to building solutions with VibeCoding, Wolfgang shares practical strategies for property managers to streamline operations while protecting their time and independence. Learn how to evaluate new technology, foster community, and achieve true work-life balance. This conversation is about working smarter, not harder.

What you will learn:

How to evaluate and implement new property management technology without getting overwhelmed by endless options
Why property management software vendors need to prioritize transparency and consent when rolling out new features
The framework for building effective automation solutions using AI tools like Replit and ChatGPT
How to create and maintain a thriving professional community focused on time freedom and work-life balance
Why data insights and automation are crucial for modern property management operations
How to achieve better work-life balance in property management without sacrificing business growth
The importance of security considerations when building custom technology solutions
How to navigate vendor relationships and evaluate new software offerings in an increasingly complex marketplace

Wolfgang Croskey is a property management innovator, entrepreneur, and Co-Founder of Crane, a selective community empowering managers to achieve true time freedom. As Founder and President of Croskey Real Estate, he has led strategic growth while overseeing a $50M+ portfolio. With expertise in change management from his tenure as CEO of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Wolfgang champions efficiency through AI, automation, and custom software solutions. A LeadSimple investor and PM Systems Conference Co-Founder, he blends technology with practical operations to transform property management.

Episode Resources:

Wolfgang Croskey on LinkedIn
Crane Website
Jordan Muela on LinkedIn
LeadSimple Website
Profitable Property Management on Apple Podcasts
Profitable Property Management on Spotify