Real Estate
Legend has it that John Jacob Astor, for whom the enclave was named, never actually set foot within the New York City neighborhood of Astoria. No matter. These days lots of other folks are stepping into this West Queens bailiwick, drawn by qualities that include a burgeoning foo d scene, a location highly proximate to Manhattan, a beguiling history and most of all, Astoria’s comparative affordability vis-à-vis neighboring districts. “There has been a huge influx of people coming in from Long Island City who are priced out of Long Island City and decide their next move is Astoria,” says Arlinda…
Construction of built-to-rent single family housing (“BTR”) is plummeting, and within 18 to 24 months, there will be a shortfall of new supply relative to the level of demand. The pace at which individual BTR projects lease up has slowed, and the rents have been reduced, for many locations, reflecting the large amount of rental supply that has just been completed. New data show that starts of BTR fell by 38% between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. The data ultimately come from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the same agency that puts out…
In Manhattan’s fast-moving real estate market, pricing a property to sell is a mix of art and science. While sellers and brokers often lean on gut instinct informed by recent comparable sales, appraisers operate with a structured methodology to determine fair market value for their clients. This approach ensures that a price is defensible because it is backed by data. As buyers gravitate to well-informed prices, if you’re pricing to sell, pay attention to how appraisers do it. The Role of an Appraiser An appraiser’s job is to provide an independent, unbiased property valuation based on market data, not what…
The remodeling industry has several factors boosting its pace at the moment. According to Robert Dietz, chief economist at National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the forecast shows 5% growth in 2025 and 3% in 2026. “One of the key factors for growth in the remodeling market is the aging housing stock, which continues to drive renovation projects,” said NAHB Economist Eric Lynch in a press release. “Homeowners are increasingly choosing to tap into their home equity and invest in improvements rather than relocate, creating long-term growth prospects for the industry.” Lynch also shared that there has been a small…
If you’re thinking of developing a vertically integrated approach when investing in real estate, it can be helpful to understand how it works. Some investors opt for this strategy to gain a greater level of control over their investment. At the same time, the trade off is often that it can be challenging to scale. You might be so absorbed with one project that you aren’t able to carry out multiple projects. Here are some points to think about if you are considering a vertically integrated approach in real estate investing. Understand the Concept of Vertical Integration Vertical integration in…
On March 5, 2025, furniture and lifestyle brand Business & Pleasure announced a $16 million minority growth investment led by Silas Capital. After a standout year in 2024—featuring a collaboration with supermodel Elsa Hosk and a licensing agreement with Margaritaville—the brand, already a favorite among interior designers, design enthusiasts, and content creators, is on its way to becoming a household name. Enter Silas Capital The partnership with Silas marks the first time the luxury outdoor furniture brand is taking on capital. Co-founder and president of Business & Pleasure, Ollie Edwards, told me, “Business & Pleasure has been bootstrapped since day…
Aloha. A contranym. A Janus word that effortlessly embodies two opposing ideas—“hello” and “goodbye.” It’s a fitting description for an archipelago that greets and bids farewell to nearly 10 million visitors each year. Yet many travelers remain unaware of aloha’s deeper resonance. For Hawaiians, the term signifies love, peace and compassion—a subtle, yet profound force believed to knit the entire cosmos together. Even if most outsiders never fully grasp this hidden dimension of aloha, they still feel its magnetic pull. Nearly one in four Hawaii property owners come from out of state, a phenomenon that one local real estate agent…
Are you among Americans who assumed your lone exposure to a campus would be during your college years? If so . . . surprise! Your campus life can extend right into your work years, if you join and stay with employers officing at new work campuses. With growing numbers of wage earners returning to offices, emerging work campuses are gaining fresh attention. They combine office real estate with food and beverage services, entertainment and community events to heighten work day enjoyment. Among the offerings of urban work campuses: Private work spaces, live musical performances, culinary events, fine dining, retail options…
An adviser at the center of the City Developments Ltd. (CDL) boardroom brawl between billionaire Kwek Leng Beng and his son, Sherman, has resigned a week after the family feud became public. The elder Kwek announced the irrevocable resignation of Catherine Wu, an adviser to the board of CDL’s Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, late Tuesday. Last week, the chairman sued his son to quash what he called as an “attempted coup at the board level” instigated by Sherman Kwek, group CEO of CDL, and some board members. Sherman disclosed on Thursday that the dispute with his father was partly due…
Rebuilding efforts are well underway in parts of the country recently hit by wildfires and hurricanes. These rebuilding efforts have many challenges – from dwindling federal support funds to local remediation efforts. While recovery is happening, the many challenges can slow it down to a crawl. Jordan Rogove’s modular home building company, Liv-Connected, was awarded a contract for recovery housing in Lahaina after the fires devastated the area in August 2023. The award from FEMA took almost a year, and after being awarded, the company scrambled to start construction six weeks later. Although FEMA is meant to offer residents a…
Design & Construction Week, the massive annual expo combining the International Builders’ Show with the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, wrapped last Thursday with record attendance and multiple award programs. Resilience, wellness and sustainability dominated the trends in this largest show of its kind in the world. According to the National Association of Home Builders, which owns IBS, more than 124,000 residential design and building pros visited more than 2400 exhibitors across the four Las Vegas Convention Center halls. This was the 12th year that the two trade shows were combined. Here are my initial trend impressions, based on three…
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