Tom Fox, a key figure behind Hudson Yards, shares insights on balancing development and public interest, highlighting how collaboration—not conflict—between activists and developers can create projects that are both sustainable and community-focused.
Jun 09, 2025•29 min•Ep. 5
With interest rates staying higher for longer, commercial real estate is being forced to adapt. On the Decoding Real Estate podcast, Eastern Union CEO Abe Bergman explains why borrowers are still in decent shape, how private lenders are filling the gap left by cautious banks, and why flexible, short-term financing has become the strategy of choice. Despite industry concerns about loan maturities and stalled bank lending, Bergman sees opportunity in the shift and outlines what could change when a...
May 14, 2025•26 min•Ep. 4
Apr 14, 2025•25 min•Ep. 3
PropTech investor Zach Aarons joins *Decoding Real Estate* to discuss the industry’s challenges, from office market struggles to high interest rates. Despite setbacks, he sees opportunities in AI and AR for real estate. Hear his insights on where PropTech is headed next.
Mar 20, 2025•35 min•Ep. 2
The office market is at a crossroads. While some cities have rebounded, others still struggle with vacancies. Michael Mandel, CEO of CompStak, breaks down key leasing trends, office valuations, and the flight to quality. Is a full recovery on the horizon, or has office demand changed forever?
Mar 05, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 1
This isn’t the first time the real estate industry has gone through a crisis. The subprime mortgage crisis in 2008 devalued real estate across the globe and caused the Great Recession. It also led to a prolonged period of low interest rates that the property industry assumed was the norm.. In this episode, we talk with Paul Jhung about what lessons are to be learned from that period and what it means for the path forward in this new interest rate environment.
Feb 14, 2024•11 min
The high interest rates have hit borrowers hard, but it hasn’t been all roses for lenders either. Some institutions like regional banks have either slowed down their commercial lending, or gotten out of the market all together. In this episode, we talk to Debra Morgan about the temporary and permanent effects the rate hikes will have on the lending environment.
Feb 14, 2024•10 min
No matter how high the interest rates get, the country is still in desperate need of more affordable housing. Like every other property type affordable housing has struggled to find affordable capital. In this episode we talk to Beth Mullen about what the high interest rates are doing to the affordable housing industry and how it will be able to remain an attractive investment if rates stay high.
Feb 14, 2024•10 min
The high interest rates are only part of the problem. With lenders thinking more critically about their balance sheets and regional banks worried about staying solvent, lending sources have also dried up. In this episode, we chat with Ron Kaplan about the challenges commercial real estate borrowers are facing and what can be done to overcome them.
Feb 14, 2024•6 min
High interest rates have hampered the ability of buildings to find lending capital. It has pushed bond yields up as well. These compounding factors have in turn made it harder for real estate deals to be attractive to potential investors. In this episode, we talk to Andrew Lines about what real estate portfolios are doing to find investment capital.
Feb 14, 2024•14 min
Construction lending was one of the first to get pulled when interest rates go up. That has left many projects stalled or on the chopping block. In this episode, we talk with Scott Damiecki about how the construction industry is adapting to high rates and what the property industry is doing to keep the construction going.
Feb 14, 2024•9 min
This podcast series talks to experts about how offices are changing to better satisfy the needs of hybrid workers
Nov 08, 2023•16 min
This podcast series talks to experts about how offices are changing to better satisfy the needs of hybrid workers
Nov 08, 2023•15 min
This podcast series talks to experts about how offices are changing to better satisfy the needs of hybrid workers
Nov 08, 2023•14 min
This podcast series talks to experts about how offices are changing to better satisfy the needs of hybrid workers
Nov 08, 2023•15 min
You might be as surprised as we were to learn that the first “smart building” was an unassuming office tower in Hartford, Connecticut. Today there is nothing more than a few old newspaper clippings to document this unusual distinction. So what went wrong? According to Vincent Dermody, Managing Director of CohnReznick Australia, the problem is that many smart buildings don’t actually work any better than their analog counterparts. In this episode, Vincent walks me through The 8 Principles of Inte...
Apr 13, 2022•17 min
Just about anything you read about the business world now-a-days will have some mention of the word innovation. Championed by the tech world, innovation is just another way to say “make something better.” As much as we all nod our heads about the importance of innovation, how to actually bring it about is much harder done than said. In this episode, we talk to Maureen Ehrenberg of commercial real estate advisory company Blue Skyre IBE, about how she helps real estate companies identify and imple...
Apr 13, 2022•17 min
We all know someone that we think is intelligent. They are usually people that are quick-witted, thoughtful, or wise. But when it comes to buildings, intelligence is less a personality trait and more a set of structured processes and reliable systems. In this episode, Sheridan Ware, the Chief Information and Technology Officer at property investment management firm Charter Hall, was able to give us some great examples of how she has adapted her company’s real estate processes and systems in orde...
Apr 13, 2022•18 min
Integrity is the foundation on which we make our moral decisions. For buildings, data integrity is the foundation on which they operate. The more technology that a building deploys, the more important it is that information is collected, organized, and analyzed in a way that recognizes that each piece influences the whole. Lisa Stanley’s organization, OSCRE, has developed a set of standards for the commercial real estate industry to make sure that the industry’s data maintains its integrity. In ...
Apr 13, 2022•15 min
In business, insight is often a misunderstood concept. An insight is not data, nor is it an observation. Though it is sometimes confused for those things, insights are gems of knowledge that are hiding in plain sight and can only be revealed with experience and in the proper context. The most innovative companies in real estate have built their businesses on the insights of sharp-eyed people. For this episode, we spoke with Susan Gerock, Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Informa...
Apr 13, 2022•18 min
Most modern software can be easily integrated with other platforms using things like APIs. If only it were as simple for property companies to integrate with their tenants. Increasingly landlords are being asked to do just that. Miao Song is the Chief Information Officer of GLP, a giant in the logistics world. In this episode, she explains what her company has learned as they integrated with their end users in a very fundamental way.
Apr 13, 2022•15 min
Inclusivity is the mantra of our times. While many of us might think that means embracing all races and genders, there is much more to think about when designing spaces that need to appeal to a variety of people. For this episode, we spoke to Lisa Harvey, a change management specialist, whose unique approach to inclusivity offers some great takeaways for building owners and managers. More than ever, the business of real estate should be looking for opportunities to adapt to today's inclusive cul...
Apr 13, 2022•17 min
Buildings are only as good as the neighborhoods that they are a part of. So it stands to reason that one of the most important things building owners can do is try to improve their surroundings. Joanna Frank is the President & CEO of the Center for Active Design which oversees the Fitwell certification. In this episode, she talks to us about ways her non-profit organization helps building owners quantify their building's impact on the health and wellness of its occupants, its neighbors and t...
Apr 13, 2022•18 min
Two years of office workers staying home has changed the way we think about the workplace. After a global pandemic, bringing people back to work in unfamiliar hybrid offices will not be easy. Flexible arrangements that allow employees to do some tasks in the office and others virtually are clearly going to be a big part of the picture. But it will take more than videoconferencing and chat rooms to create a successful flexible work environment. In this episode, Alana Collins, the Head of Real Est...
Apr 13, 2022•17 min
Hybrid offices are a clear focus point for occupiers and landlords alike. Businesses are facing a new reality of working, and are tailoring their workspaces and productivity solutions to match. But for all the talk, hybrid offices prompt a million questions. Most importantly, what does it take to set one up, and what are the real, end-of-the-day benefits to the employees as well as the organization? In this report, we answer these questions and more. We: -Explore the types of hybrid and "return ...
Feb 08, 2022•2 min
Commercial leasing transactions have many parts, but one of the most harrowing for any broker is managing the process of negotiation and contract review. In this report, we discuss the most critical challenges leasing brokers facing during their transactions, and share the tips and strategies of half a dozen top-performing leasing brokers from all over America. We'll explore: -Managing document review and redlining -Guiding the transaction as lawyers become involved -Providing a high level of se...
Feb 02, 2022•2 min
Download our latest report to learn how offices are utilizing new technology to help their occupants employ a hybrid work strategy
Jan 06, 2022•3 min
Commercial real estate brokerage is at the heart of the industry. Collectively, brokers see thousands of sale and lease transactions a year, in markets large and small, for all types of properties. So what is the pulse of the brokerage world? How is the field evolving, what new strategies are the best brokers using, and what data and tech are brokers using? In this year's edition of the DNA of #CRE report, we'll cover: -Broker demographics and industry trends -Factors relating to broker office d...
Sep 27, 2021•1 min
For many companies, COVID-19 was the final straw that pushed leadership to adopt remote working as a substantial, permanent part of workplace strategy. These companies see remote work as a perk, a benefit, a cost-saving method, and a new era of flexible, lean operations. But how exactly are companies handling the transition to remote work? What are enterprise occupiers doing to ensure their companies stay connected, productive, and happy as the office becomes less mandatory? In this report, we'l...
Sep 15, 2021•2 min
While many companies are transitioning to a remote-optional or even remote-first approach to work, some of the largest occupiers are maintaining the position that in-person is the best way to run a business. These companies see big benefits to the office's role as a connector, community builder, and center for company culture. But how do these occupiers expect to keep their employees satisfied coming into the office over the long term? In this report, we'll examine: -The prevailing in-person wor...
Sep 15, 2021•2 min