The Real Deal

Thank you to the speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, partners and 6,000 real estate pros who joined us at our BIGGEST #TRDForum yet! With a dynamic showcase floor and two stages featuring the industry's top lenders, developers and dealmakers, this year's South Florida Real Estate Forum was our most successful outing to date!

Before Jonathan Gould lost everything in hard-money lender Pride of Austin’s alleged Ponzi scheme, he thought he’d built a $1 million nest egg. Instead his money disappeared, along with $60 million from other backers that fund founder Rob Buchanan had pulled in over a decade. Ponzi schemes seem to be as much a feature of real estate as maturity dates or loan payments. It’s hard to track exactly how many Ponzi schemes occur in real estate. But the maneuver, which falls under the umbrella of investment scams in FBI reports, is a perennial problem. After Pride of Austin collapsed, Gould, now 67, was homeless for a period and relied on safety-net programs. He now hopes to find a full-time job, just as many people his age are entering retirement. "I am absolutely ruined," he told TRD's Christian Bautista, "and I’m not being dramatic for the purpose of the interview." He definitely will not fall for a scheme like this again. But someone else probably will. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ezbqtsAA

In this week’s roundup, we look ahead at Trump’s second term as president and what that means for real estate. Plus, The Real Deal continues its investigative series into the under-regulation of real estate agents, Howard Lorber admits to having intimate relationships with Elliman brokers and Florida’s new condo-hotels law shifts the power balance at mixed-use complexes. These stories and more below.

#Sponsored | The luxury condominium development 212 West 72nd Street continued its recent sales success with the achievement of more than 65% of its residences now sold. Leading this milestone is the momentous sale and closing of Residence 18G, a 2,770 square-foot, four-bedroom home that features a tranquil private terrace and sweeping Upper West Side views, asking $8.55 million. Read more in the article below.

#Sponsored | Applications are now open for the world’s “Most Exclusive Real Estate Club”, Harvard’s AMDP. The Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate (AMDP) is Harvard’s premier advanced leadership program in real estate, where executives can become Harvard alums in just one year, with five weeks spent on campus. The new cohort begins July 2025. Learn more in the link below #HarvardAMDP #RealEstateLeaders

#Sponsored | SKYX Platforms Corp. (NASDAQ: SKYX) debuts the first of its kind Plug & Play integrated lighting. SkyPlug Installation Technology is redefining the way we build, design, & live. Transforming homes and buildings into state of the art smart spaces by enabling instant connectivity of lighting, ceiling fans, and smart home automation. See Plug & Play LumLights: https://bit.ly/3YrUI3q #skyxplatforms #plugandplaylighting

THIS JUST IN: For the first time since taking over brokerage behemoth Douglas Elliman, new CEO and Chairman Michael S. Liebowitz will join Amir Korangy onstage at #TRDForum to share his plans for the legendary firm and tell the audience what it's like to take over for larger-than-life industry titan Howard Lorber. Join us when it all goes down at Mana Wynwood this Thursday 11/7. Secure your spot here: https://bit.ly/40t6woW

This Wed & Thurs (11/6-7), thousands of real estate pros will join the TRD team in Miami for our biggest #TRDForum yet. In the latest edition of The Weekly Dirt, Katherine Kallergis offers her notes on the topics that will dominate the conversations during our two-day lineup of top dealmakers, developers and lenders. Consider it your guide to sounding smart at the Forum this week. Check out the TRD Forum 411 here: https://lnkd.in/eUKqKZUU

The Real Deal’s November issue is live for digital subscribers and soon to hit mailboxes across the country.⁠⁠ ⁠ This month, we map out the possible roads ahead at Douglas Elliman, the #brokerage behemoth that forced out long-time chairman Howard Lorber last month. We'll also shine a light on how broker misdeeds get swept under the rug, map out an investor's collapsing property empire and follow the industry fallout from the investigation into #NYCMayor Adams' administration, with in-depth stories including: ⁠ ⁠ ✍️: The shocking exit of longterm Douglas Elliman leader Howard Lorber amid concerns over workplace culture and sexual assault allegations. ✍️: One syndicator's plans for the biggest-ever private #multifamily #REIT. ✍️: A profile on Simon Dushinsky's The Rabsky Group LLC, the quiet giant of Brooklyn development planning to build Fort Lauderdale's tallest tower. ✍️: #TheClosing with Major Food Group restaurateur Jeff Zalaznick on the "zero effect" of a Michelin star, restaurant hits and misses, and MFG's branded condo collab with David Martin's Terra. … And much more!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Read the latest issue: https://lnkd.in/ebD47i6X

#Sponsored | Want to experience The Real Deal South Florida Forum like a true VIP? B/S/H/ is offering select builders and developers complimentary passes to their exclusive VIP Green Room, showcasing Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau's industry-shaping appliances. Apply now for your chance to enjoy the luxury: https://lnkd.in/e-TSXq3X #VIPAccess #TRDForum #BSHExperience