Issi Romem Keynote Speaker

Founder of MetroSight, an intelligence company.
Data-driven researcher on matters involving urban, labor, housing and real-estate economics.
Taught econometrics as an adjunct professor in Berkeley’s economics department.

Issi Romem's Biography

Issi Romem is the Founder of MetroSight, a company providing data-driven research on matters involving urban, labor, housing and real-estate economics.

He has also served as Chief Economist of Trulia and Senior Director of Housing & Urban Economics at Zillow. His research and writing on metropolitan growth patterns, construction trends and housing has been featured in major publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and more.

Prior to that, Issi served as Chief Economist of BuildZoom, advised the Rentonomics team at Apartment List, and worked as an economist at OnPoint Analytics and the Bay Area Council.

Daniel is also a fellow at the ADP Research Institute and an affiliate of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at U.C. Berkeley. He regularly speaks at industry and research forums.

He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University, and a Ph.D. in economics from U.C. Berkeley, where he was advised by professors David Card (Nobel prize winner, 2021), Bob Helsley and Enrico Moretti.

He has taught econometrics as an adjunct professor in Berkeley’s economics department.

Metropolitan Growth Patterns in the United States

Some U.S. cities have channeled their economic strength into population growth, while others have channeled it into skyrocketing home values, with far-reaching consequences. What exactly happened, where and how? And what it means for the future?

Remote Work, Migration and Post-Pandemic U.S. Geography

We've all heard of the pandemic-driven urban exodus and the hype around remote work, but what do sober numbers actually show? And what should we expect in the foreseeable future?

An update on the U.S. Housing Market

He brings deep expertise in housing and urban economics, advising organisations on market dynamics, construction trends and metropolitan growth.
He translates complex data on housing, labour and real estate into clear, actionable insights for investors, policymakers and business leaders.
He has held senior economist roles at Zillow and Trulia, providing real-world perspective on how housing markets evolve and impact the broader economy.
His research is widely featured in leading global media, equipping audiences with credible, data-driven understanding of housing and economic trends.
His briefings help leaders make informed decisions on investment, policy and strategy in an increasingly constrained and rapidly shifting housing landscape.

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Explaining the [Pandemic-Driven] Frenzy in the Housing Market

The New York Times

Islands of Density in a Sea of No-Growth

MetroInsight

Can U.S. Cities Compensate for Curbing Sprawl by Growing Denser?

MetroInsight

Comments & Testimonials

Issi is one of the rare researchers who is precise analytically and thoughtful about the big picture. He sees both the forest and the trees. You can trust his numbers.

Jed Kolko Urban & Labor Economist

Issi’s eye-opening research is key to understanding the trends that are shaping housing and housing affordability in cities and metros across the United States, and how this affects the capacity of these places and the nation as a whole to innovate, provide good jobs and a decent standard of living, and generate sustained economic growth.

Richard Florida University Professor, University of Toronto and Co-founder & Editor-at-Large, CityLab