In Defense of Jonathan Miller
If there is one person in our real estate industry that I truly feel empathy for, it’s Jonathan Miller. Let me explain. Jonathan is the appraiser behind the market reports most of our industry quotes. I first met him in the late '90s, when...
One Question I Can't Answer for You
Now that mortgage rates are around 7% again, a lot of the conversations I’m having with my clients are, “Isn’t it just better to rent instead of buy?” Having had this conversation more times than I can remember, and having the luxury of...
When Nobody's Buying
It’s been a busy two weeks. I’ve received calls from nine different developers, all asking my opinion on the same three sites for sale. 9 developers. 3 sites. That probably tells you more about the state of the New York development market...
Let's Learn from Johannesburg
I grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. As a white kid, I was mostly oblivious to these dangers, but I could feel the undertone. When you grow up in a place where everyone is always looking behind their back and waiting...
Coming Home
Tonight is Rosh Hashanah. At sundown, Jews around the world will begin the year 5787. My family has been doing some version of this for generations. In Lithuania. In South Africa. And now in New York. My sisters will celebrate tonight in...
Not Convenient
I remember watching Davis Guggenheim and Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” more than 20 years ago. It reiterated what scientists already knew was coming, and they gave us a warning. The fact that Al Gore was the messenger was...
Dolly
Every social media stream I opened this week was filled with tributes to Dolly Parton. Almost every person I follow, and many that I don’t, had something positive to say about her life and the legacy she left. There wasn’t one negative...
Street Level
Paris is my favorite city in the world to visit. Not because it has the most beautiful architecture in the world. Barcelona and Florence can compete. Not because it has some of the best food you can find in any city. New Orleans and Mexico...