I
n my first 30 years, New York City struggled to keep its taxpayers. In the next quarter-century, it's been trying to accommodate their demand to stay. The real estate industry has navigated these shifts like a rowboat in turbulent waters – able to steer clear of obstacles but ultimately at the mercy of economic and political currents. This is where my new column, The Real World, comes in.

    After 1,933 days as senior managing editor at The Real Deal, I'm shifting focus to writing full-time. For two decades, I covered real estate and economy stories for various publications, including Crain's New York Business, before joining TRD in 2019. Initially, my role was editing rather than writing, but I sensed a gap in industry perspective and started filing point-of-view pieces when possible.

    The response from readers was encouraging because the industry's voice is often absent from media coverage of real estate. Reporters and editors at general-interest outlets often lack understanding of how the business works, and industry professionals rarely take the time to explain it to them. This column aims to bridge that gap by providing a nuanced look at the industry.

    I'm calling my column The Real World because it seeks to educate those outside the industry – including elected officials and advocacy groups – about how real estate really operates. Many New Yorkers hold misconceptions about developers, landlords, housing economics, and more. This column will challenge these false notions and hold both policymakers and the real estate industry accountable for their actions.

    By presenting a balanced view of issues, I hope to establish credibility with readers. As one major developer noted after my piece on the collapse of the state's housing plan in 2023, "You were the only one who got it right." This column will tackle topics like evictions audits, broker-fee bans, and legislation aimed at helping tenants – but ultimately doing the opposite.