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by The Real Deal
In Deconstruct, The Real Deal's reporters and editors explain the most important news in real estate. We follow the money across New York City and beyond to explain how real estate powers the world around us, breaking down policy impacts, industry trends, and important deals to know. This is essential listening for understanding the great, big world of real estate.
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- 6 days ago26 min
Why NYC’s Aging Apartment Buildings Aren’t Getting Fixed
This week on Deconstruct, The Real Deal columnist Erik Engquist joins Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke to explain why renovating New York City’s aging apartment buildings has become increasingly difficult. Engquist breaks down the complicated web of rules surrounding substantial rehabilitation, rent stabilization, good cause eviction and demolition — and why he argues that current housing policy can leave owners with little incentive to undertake major renovations. What happens when aging buildings need substantial investment, but the economics of fixing them no longer pencil out? Plus, Hannah and Lilah dig into one of Miami’s biggest potential real estate deals: Citadel founder Ken Griffin is rumored to be pursuing Moishe Mana’s roughly 30-acre Wynwood portfolio for between $700 million and $1 billion, potentially setting the stage for a massive tech and AI campus. Also this week: Charles Cohen plots a South Florida comeback, Hackman Capital loses the $160 million Sony campus in Culver City, and the hosts look back at the real estate industry’s stories from September 11.
- 2 weeks ago29 min
Inside New York’s $150K-a-Month Rental Market
New York’s luxury rental market is reaching astonishing new heights. SERHANT broker Peter Zaitzeff joins Deconstruct to explain who is paying as much as $150,000 a month for homes in Brooklyn and Manhattan, why tech and finance wealth is fueling demand, and how the city’s severe inventory shortage could push rents even higher. Zaitzeff also argues that the luxury market does not exist in isolation: Record-breaking deals at the top can influence asking rents across the city, making an already expensive housing market even less affordable. Later in the episode, hosts Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke examine dramatic new depositions from developers Meyer and Joseph Chetrit, who are facing more than $160 million in personal judgments. The testimony depicts a real estate empire that has run out of money — although lenders may question whether the brothers are overstating their financial distress. Plus, Florida considers a proposal that could eventually eliminate property taxes for homesteaded homes, and former New York governor Eliot Spitzer gets approval to advance his Fifth Avenue condo project after suing the state.
- 3 weeks ago22 min
The Real Estate Behind the Data Center Boom
Data centers have quickly become one of commercial real estate’s hottest — and most capital-intensive — asset classes. This week, Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke talk with Colliers data center expert Raul Saavedra about what’s driving the boom, how AI has accelerated demand and why the scale of new projects is creating major challenges around power, financing and community opposition. Saavedra takes us inside the increasingly complicated process of getting a data center deal done, as campuses grow from tens of megawatts to hundreds and project costs climb from millions into the billions. Then, Hannah and Lilah dig into some of the biggest real estate stories of the week: Compass’ push to pull listings from StreetEasy and embrace private marketing, S2 Capital founder Scott Everett’s latest effort to keep his multifamily empire alive, and the transformation of Hollywood real estate as studios, landlords and developers chase the $70 billion creator economy.
- Aug 17, 202631 min
How Florida’s HOAs Became Ripe for Fraud
A massive fraud case at one of Florida’s largest homeowners associations exposed just how vulnerable HOAs can be to bad actors. On this episode of Deconstruct, The Real Deal’s Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke talk with South Florida reporter Lidia Dinkova about the scandal at the Hammocks, a sprawling Miami-Dade community with more than 18,000 residents. Prosecutors accused former board members of diverting roughly $2 million through bogus vendors and kickbacks, while residents say they spent years trying to sound the alarm. The case ultimately helped spur sweeping changes to Florida’s HOA laws — but experts and residents say fraud remains a serious problem. Plus, Hannah breaks down the long-running battle over Manhattan’s Elizabeth Street Garden and what its preservation means for New York City’s struggle to build affordable housing. The hosts also look at which real estate heavyweights are putting money behind candidates in California’s governor’s race, New York City’s latest record rents and a bizarre Miami lawsuit involving a 100-year-old oak tree, a spec home developer and allegedly forged signatures.
- Aug 10, 202626 min
Real Estate Agents Have a Reputation Problem
Consumers need to trust their real estate agents — but as more agents work the market than ever before, stories of bad behavior ranging from unfair dealmaking to sexual harrasment abound. In this episode of Deconstruct, Compass agent and American Real Estate Association (ARA) founder Jason Haber joins Lilah Burke and Hannah Kramer of The Real Deal to break down what’s broken in residential brokerage and how to fix it. We get into: Why there are 5 million agents chasing fewer than 3 million deals a year How low licensing standards and part-time agents hurt consumers and the industry’s reputation Jason’s early pushback against Kenny Purcell and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) over sexual harassment and abuse Why self-regulation has failed, and what smarter state licensing and renewal rules should look like The debate over private listings, NAR’s Clear Cooperation vs ARA’s Clear Collaboration policy How industry consolidation (including at Compass) affects small brokerages and consumer trust What political and policy changes could actually make housing more affordable in New York and beyond In the second half of the episode, we turn to two huge real estate stories: The rise and unraveling of Joseph Makhani’s $83M deed theft empire in New York The political and PR mess created by the pied-à-terre tax rollout The collapse of Simad Holdings’ $200M summer camp empire, DOJ investigations, and what it means for bondholders and beloved camps If you work in residential brokerage, follow housing policy, or just want to understand why trust in real estate is so low — and what real reform could look like — this episode is for you. Listen to Deconstruct from The Real Deal every Monday for deep dives on real estate, politics, and power.
- Jun 15, 202619 min
How a Summer Camp Empire Raised $200M — Then Imploded Months Later
A summer camp empire that owns roughly 30 camps across the U.S. raised nearly $200 million from Israeli bondholders—and then spiraled into bankruptcy just months later. Reporter Keith Larsen joins Deconstruct to unpack one of the strangest real estate-adjacent stories of the year, including a controversial $34 million transfer, aggressive lenders, and what happens next for camp operators, investors and families. Plus, Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke discuss how wellness culture is transforming real estate, from Hamptons luxury homes packed with saunas and cold plunges to the rapid expansion of luxury gyms and wellness-focused retail. They also break down RXR's effort to sell Manhattan's iconic Helmsley Building, a major brokerage shakeup involving Christie's International Real Estate affiliates, and the closely watched manslaughter trial of Miami broker George Pino.
- Jun 8, 202624 min
ChatGPT vs. Real Estate Brokers? Plus, Why Billionaires' Row Is in Trouble
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping real estate — from buyers using ChatGPT to challenge brokers, to AI startups transforming the office market. On this episode of Deconstruct, Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke break down The Real Deal's latest reporting on AI's impact on residential and commercial real estate. They discuss how buyers and sellers are using AI during negotiations, why office landlords are chasing AI tenants, and whether artificial intelligence could fundamentally alter demand for office space. Plus: Hannah argues that the era of Billionaires' Row may be coming to an end as developers behind projects like 432 Park Avenue and 111 West 57th Street face financial and legal challenges. Also discussed: • Compass-Anywhere merger antitrust investigation • Bill Pulte's move in Washington • California political races and housing policy • Moody's warning on NYC rent freezes and multifamily defaults AI #RealEstate #ChatGPT #CommercialRealEstate #NYCRealEstate #BillionairesRow #Compass #OfficeMarket
- Jun 1, 202630 min
Inside real estate's "hustler's ball," the RED Awards; plus, Floyd Mayweather's real estate lawsuit explained
On this week's episode of Deconstruct, Hannah Kramer and Lilah Burke break down one of the strangest real estate stories of the year: Floyd Mayweather's lawsuit against former advisor Jona Rechnitz, alleging the theft of $175 million in cash, jewelry and real estate investments. The hosts trace Mayweather's rapid expansion into New York real estate, including deals involving multifamily properties, the Versace Mansion and major investment partnerships, and discuss the unanswered questions surrounding those transactions. They also examine Mayor Zohran Mamdani's ambitious housing plan and what it could mean for landlords, developers and rent-stabilized buildings across New York City. Plus, a deep dive into the Red Awards, real estate's most unusual gala, where elevator contractors, developers and industry hustlers gather for a night of recognition and networking.
About Deconstruct
In Deconstruct, The Real Deal's reporters and editors explain the most important news in real estate. We follow the money across New York City and beyond to explain how real estate powers the world around us, breaking down policy impacts, industry trends, and important deals to know. This is essential listening for understanding the great, big world of real estate.
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