
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.
Latest episodes

Sep 26, 2022 • 24min
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 19, 2022 • 21min
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 12, 2022 • 21min
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 5, 2022 • 25min
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.

Aug 29, 2022 • 14min
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 22, 2022 • 1min
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.

Jun 27, 2022 • 10min
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 13, 2022 • 13min
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 management for Faropoint across the Midwest.
Credits: Reuters

Jun 6, 2022 • 15min
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 communications at the Center for New York City Neighborhoods.
Credit: Storyful, "Beach house collapses into ocean during storm"

May 30, 2022 • 16min
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, the director of planning for East Hampton.
Credits: Music by Blue Wave Theory, "Rabbit Ears"