Deconstruct - podcast cover

Deconstruct

In Deconstruct, The Real Deal breaks down the most important ideas in real estate. We follow the money from Los Angeles to New York City to explain what investors, brokers and developers are focused on right now. This is essential listening for understanding the great, big world of real estate.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Ryan Serhant On Going Solo, Brokerages and More

When celebrity broker Ryan Serhant left Nest Seekers in 2020 — striking out on his own months into a pandemic that had all but shut down New York City’s real estate market — the industry thought he was crazy. Deconstruct chatted with the former "Million Dollar Listing" star about his decision, the state of the housing market and why some residential brokerages are struggling right now.

Sep 26, 202224 min

Real Estate Navigates Legalized Cannabis

Cannabis might be legal in New York, but no legal dispensaries are out there yet. State lawmakers have budgeted $200 million to build out 150 dispensaries by 2024, but the first licenses are yet to be given out. So how are landlords navigating all of this to bring in dispensaries as tenants? Deconstruct chats with TRD's Cailley LaPara about the issues both landlords and tenants are facing as the state looks to open its first cannabis stores.

Sep 19, 202221 min

The New Asset Class of Soundstages

Earlier this year, New York City's Department of Buildings approved Wildflower Studios: a $600 million, vertical soundstage project in Queens. Wildflower Ltd, run by Adam Gordon, is behind the project, with the help of Robert de Niro. TRD's Deconstruct chats with Gordon about his first foray into studio real estate, which has become a popular asset class among investors.

Sep 12, 202221 min

Real Estate's Top Earners

Ever wondered how much the top CEOs of real estate firms make? For The Real Deal's August cover story, reporter Joseph Lovinger sifted through records to find out just how much CEOs of public REITs and brokerages made last year. Deconstruct chats with Joseph about how he got the story and what sort of perks these top earners get.

Sep 05, 202225 min

The State of The Luxe Market with Bess Freedman

After an insane year for high-end real estate in New York City, things have finally begun to slow. Kicking off a second season, The Real Deal's Deconstruct looks at the state of the luxury market in New York City with Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess Freedman, who discusses the factors behind this shift and how her firm will adapt.

Aug 29, 202214 min

Coming Soon: Deconstruct Season 2

We're back! The Real Deal’s hit podcast “Deconstruct” is back on Aug. 29 for a second season of breaking down the most important concepts and trends in real estate, with bigger guests and bolder ideas. Hosts Isabella Farr and Suzannah Cavanaugh will kick off the second season of “Deconstruct” by interviewing Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, who will dig into the latest in New York City’s luxury market.

Aug 22, 20221 min

Is Multifamily Set to Cool Down?

Multifamily was the most popular asset class for commercial real estate investors in the first quarter. This popularity was fueled by extraordinary rent growth and historically low interest rates. Investors could get relatively cheap capital to buy up apartment complexes with steady cash flow. But interest rates are no longer historically low. So will the market start to cool? You'll hear from Matt Fotis, a senior managing director at Marcus & Millichap in New York City.

Jun 27, 202210 min

Will the Industrial Market Ever Slow Down?

The industrial market is hot. If you’re in commercial real estate, you’ve heard this a million times. But, as we approach mid-2022, interest rates are up, meaning acquisitions and development are both more expensive. And Amazon, obviously the largest e-commerce company, has told the world it has too much warehouse space. So what does this all mean for the industrial market? You'll hear from Barbara Perrier, an industrial broker at CBRE, and Jordan Kovalsky, who oversees acquisitions and asset ma...

Jun 13, 202213 min

Who's Afraid of Fires and Floodwaters?

Last month, a two-story home in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, washed away in a storm. We're all seeing rising sea levels, more flash flooding, hurricanes and fires across the country. But are these events of climate change deterring homeowners from buying in certain areas? Deconstruct's Suzannah Cavanaugh chats to Ben Keys, a professor of real estate at The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, Luis Robledo from Douglas Elliman in California and Cristian Salazar, the director of c...

Jun 06, 202215 min

The Hamptons Dream

Chances are, some of you New Yorkers listening might be spending this Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons. Some of you might have even bought a house in the last couple of years, some of you might have been lucky to snag a beachside rental property. On this episode, Deconstruct looks at the housing market in the Hamptons and how the dream of lounging on the beach is unattainable for many. You'll hear from Cody Vichinsky, the co-founder and principal of Bespoke Real Estate, and Jeremy Samuelson,...

May 30, 202216 min

Are Hotels Back?

Last weekend, more than 4.3 million people flew across the U.S. — about 1 million more people than the same days last year. But has this pickup in travel trickled down to hotels? Deconstruct looks at how hotels in some markets have completely bounced back from the effects of the pandemic — and others haven't. You'll hear from Kevin Davis, the CEO of JLL’s hotels and hospitality division for the Americas. Credit: CNBC, U.S. Transportation Security Administration

May 23, 202211 min

Housing Bubble 2.0?

If you’ve tried to buy a house within the past two years, you know first hand how tough it’s been. Inventory is scant, prices are sky-high and if you do find a diamond in the chaos, chances are you’ll have to compete with other buyers to actually secure a winning bid. But now that mortgage rates are rising, are we seeing signs of a housing bubble? The Real Deal's Deconstruct chats with George Ratiu, an economist at Realtor.com and TRD reporter Kathryn Brenzel about how concerned buyers should re...

May 16, 202212 min

The Mystery Behind Traded

Traded has emerged as a very popular site for brokers, developers and industry professionals to see what has recently, for lack of a better word, traded, and as a way to advertise their own deals. But, who is behind the mysterious account? For this month’s issue of The Real Deal, Joe Lovinger, a reporter at The Real Deal, set on a mission to find out. Deconstruct chats with Joe about Traded and how he did a lot of digging to find out who was behind this account.

May 09, 20229 min

The Have and Have-Nots of Chicago's Office Market

Over two years into the pandemic, office towers across the U.S. are still struggling with high vacancy rates. Among the nation’s largest metros, one central business district has emerged as a venerable ghost town — downtown Chicago. Deconstruct chats with TRD reporter Sam Lounsberry about how the Chicago office market has fared. CREDIT: ABC7, WGN News, CBS Chicago

May 02, 202212 min

Why Investors Are Housing Students

Last week, Blackstone announced it was buying American Campus Communities for $13 billion. And it's not the only firm getting into student housing. As colleges and enrollment numbers have grown and admission rates have dropped, investment firms and developers have started investing in and building more and more apartments around college campuses. But when did the asset class become so institutionalized, and why? Deconstruct talks to Justin Gronlie, Harrison Street's head of education real estate...

Apr 25, 202215 min

Navigating New York's Rent-pocalypse

If you’re a New York renter, chances are if you haven’t been hit with a rent hike yet, you’re bracing for one. But those colossal jumps don't necessarily mean the market has hit it’s peak. TRD's Deconstruct looks at how rents in New York have come soaring back and how experts think more rent rises are to come. You'll hear from Jonathan Miller, the CEO of appraisal firm Miller Samuel, David Kazemi of Bond New York, Devin Someck, the co-founder of Living New York and Stan Broekhoven of Keller Will...

Apr 18, 202210 min

Behind the Scenes of Zillow Gone Wild

In the market for a mansion in Connecticut with a potato shed? How about a Friends-themed two-bedroom home? On social media page Zillow Gone Wild, Samir Mezrahi posts the craziest, wackiest and most outlandish homes found on Zillow. TRD's Deconstruct chats with Mezrahi about how the page has grown over the last two years and some of the wildest homes he's seen. Credits: NBC's "Saturday Night Live," Zillow sketch from Feb. 2021.

Apr 11, 202211 min

Short-Term Rentals Are Here to Stay

Demand for short-term rentals has soared during the pandemic. Companies like June Homes, Blueground and Landing carved out their own niches in the Airbnb-dominated market as renters looked for flexible living during work-from-home periods. Deconstruct's Suzannah Cavanaugh looks at whether these growing rental firms will see continued demand, as companies finalize plans for employees to return to the office. You'll hear from Jamie Lane, vice president of research at AirDNA, and Daniel Mishin, the...

Apr 04, 20229 min

The Feasibility of Home Flipping in California

Home flippers in California are taking advantage of high housing prices and demand for turnkey homes. But, they could face a 25 percent tax on properties under a proposed state bill. TRD's Deconstruct looks at how it may become more difficult to flip homes and whether it's still a profitable investment opportunity. You'll hear from Page Turner, a broker and home flipper on HGTV's new "Fix My Flip," Tami Pardee, the CEO of Venice-based brokerage Pardee Properties, and Eric Sussman, an adjunct pro...

Mar 28, 202216 min

The New Kings of New York's Adam Piore

At the turn of the 21st century, something in New York City shifted. The city’s real estate started to change and suddenly, you had billion-dollar developments and $200 million penthouse sales. In TRD's new book, The New Kings of New York, Adam Piore tracks the biggest players behind New York City's ascent to becoming a global hub for luxury real estate and development — from Kent Swig to Harry Macklowe to Stephen Ross. Deconstruct sat down with Piore to chat about the book. The New Kings of New...

Mar 21, 202212 min

The Fed, Ukraine and The Future of The Mortgage Market

The Fed is expected to approve a quarter of a percentage point hike on rates, a raise that will make borrowing more expensive for homebuyers and commercial investors. And now the inflation caused by the war in Ukraine has introduced another variable to the lending puzzle. So what should borrowers expect? You'll hear from Martha Olney, a teaching professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, Melissa Cohn, a regional vice president of mortgage for William Raveis Mortgage and Ma...

Mar 14, 202213 min

Wall Street Bets on Real Estate

Bankers and Wall Street employees have racked up incredible bonuses throughout the pandemic, as profits and compensation packages have soared to their highest level in a decade. Deconstruct looks at how financial workers are spending their newfound cash on real estate. You'll hear from Stan Ponte, a senior global real estate advisor and associate broker with Sotheby's International Realty, and TRD reporter Joe Lovinger.

Mar 07, 202212 min

Real Estate Twitter's Anonymous Accounts

Over the last few years, anonymous real estate-related Twitter accounts have gained thousands of followers, offering up opinions, real estate deals, anecdotes, statistics and real estate jokes and memes. But why is Twitter such an important platform for the real estate industry? And why are some of these anonymous? We speak to two anonymous accounts, Pink Polo Shorts and Cash Flow Cowboy, about why they stay unknown, as well as Moses Kagan, who runs Los Angeles-based Adaptive Realty, and Keith W...

Feb 28, 202217 min

Building a Home Offsite

Prefabricated and manufactured homes are cropping up more and more across the U.S., as more companies look to build housing in new ways, as a way to help alleviate housing shortages, lengthy construction timelines, environmental issues, and now, supply chain issues. The Real Deal talks to a few homebuilders about the benefits and disadvantages of manufactured housing and how exactly you build a home in a factory. You'll hear from Steve Glenn, the CEO of Plant Prefab, Lauren Tucker, the co-founde...

Feb 21, 202213 min

How SoFi Stadium Kickstarted Inglewood's Boom

Last year, the Los Angeles Rams' new SoFi stadium in Inglewood finished construction, making it the biggest, most expensive sports stadium ever built. But how has this affected the local real estate market? Just in time for the Super Bowl, The Real Deal's Suzannah Cavanaugh looks at how a new stadium can give surrounding resi markets, the draw it creates for business and the fallout when a team decides to move to another city. You'll hear from Dr. Mark Rosentraub, the director of the Center for ...

Feb 11, 202210 min

The San Francisco Split

San Francisco has had nearly two years to recoup the residents it lost when Covid hit. Like other coastal metros, the housing market has recovered by leaps and bounds. The rental market tells another story. Reporter Suzannah Cavanaugh discusses the trends driving the city’s uneven recovery. You'll hear from Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst for the Bay Area at Compass, Sylvia Sotomayor, a realtor with MSI Real Estate Services in San Francisco, and Matthew Niksa, a Bay Area reporter for The ...

Feb 07, 202213 min

The Death of Luxury Comps

The family office managing the money of Alibaba execs Joe Tsai and Jack Ma recently purchased a condo at 220 Central Park South for around $190 million — a condo that last sold for $93 million. This extraordinary, almost 100 percent return shows how its becoming difficult to use comps as a way to compare luxury home sales across certain markets in the U.S. You'll hear from Hiten Samtani, The Real Deal's associate publisher, and Jonathan Miller, who runs an appraisal firm called Miller Samuel.

Jan 31, 202215 min

Real Virtual Real Estate in the Metaverse

In November, a company called Tokens.com bought 116 parcels of land for around $1.2 million. Only that land wasn't really land. The plots are located in Decentraland — a metaverse, or online virtual world. Tokens.com is one of many firms that are buying up virtual real estate in the metaverse. But, what exactly are these firms using this land for? And is it actually real estate? The Real Deal's Isabella Farr speaks to Tokens.com CEO Andrew Kiguel, as well as Janine Yorio, the CEO of metaverse in...

Jan 24, 202216 min

Cheap Old Houses: An Interview with Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein

Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein are the hosts of Cheap Old Houses, a show on HGTV, and run an Instagram account under the same name, as well as a listing website called Circa Old Houses. We chatted over Zoom about why they got into the business of finding, promoting and restoring Cheap Old Houses, and how their Instagram account blew up to 1.8 million followers.

Jan 17, 202213 min

The Texas Draw

Texas, the second largest state by population in the U.S., has seen unprecedented growth over the last year. Tech firms have flocked to Austin. Homebuyers are swarming to major metros. On the heels of launching our coverage of Texas, The Real Deal looks at what's driving growth in Texas and how developers are cashing in on the action. You'll hear from Jacob Sudhoff, the CEO of Douglas Elliman Texas, and Dr. Luis Torres, a research economist at the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&amp...

Jan 10, 202214 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android