The Best Ever CRE Show JF 4106: Niche Media, CRE Storytelling and Viral Growth ft. Hiten Samtani
Dec 1, 2025
Hiten Samtani, founder of 1031 Media and former editorial director at The Real Deal, dives into the dynamic world of commercial real estate storytelling. He reveals how infusing entertainment into industry reports can enhance engagement and loyalty. Hiten discusses the evolving competition for syndicators as major players like Blackstone target retail capital. Additionally, he highlights the impact of niche media strategies and the importance of catering content to audience needs, ultimately reshaping the fabric of real estate coverage.
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Episode notes
Real Estate Is Dramatic Storytelling
- Real estate combines money, power, politics, celebrity and history into a uniquely character-driven industry.
- Treating deals and people as compelling stories makes coverage more useful and engaging than bland press releases.
Cover Through‑Lines, Not Every Local Deal
- Focus on national through-lines rather than covering every local deal to make content relevant across markets.
- Write about obscure structural stories that reveal broader trends to teach readers from different regions.
Entertainment Boosts Trade Coverage
- Entertainment is the secret ingredient missing from most trade coverage and drives higher reader engagement.
- Treat operators like human characters and use tone to make technical topics enjoyable.
