The Real Deal

In a city dominated by branded towers and soaring luxury condos, one Miami developer is rewriting the rules with its “Go Boutique” philosophy, prioritizing intimacy, individuality and elevated design over scale. META Development is challenging the status quo through two limited-edition residences – OPUS and Colette – that blend the privacy of a home with the convenience and amenities of a fully equipped residential condo. Each project is meticulously curated for the discerning buyer who values not just prestige but refined simplicity, architectural harmony and a sense of place. Rather than building vertically for volume, META Development builds city oases purposefully for people, crafting homes that feel personal, functional, connected and rooted in Miami’s most walkable, sought-after neighborhoods. Read here: https://lnkd.in/egNbQjPB 🌟 Andrew Rasken, Marisa M. Brunelli, Fabio Brunelli #Sponsored #TRDBrandStudio #LuxuryLiving #MiamiRealEstate #RealEstateDevelopment #BoutiqueLiving #UrbanOasis

Why are fashion and car brands building skyscrapers now — and are they actually worth it? In the past decade, branded residences have surged 170 percent, and in Miami alone, names like Porsche, Baccarat and Dolce & Gabbana are redefining the skyline. Watch as Ethan M. reports from Miami to see what the hype’s about. Continue to read more about branded residences: https://bit.ly/4hERZNo

The Chicago Bears' $3 billion suburban stadium dream is on the sidelines again. Illinois lawmakers wrapped up their fall veto session without taking up the NFL team's request for public support, a major setback for plans to build a new stadium and entertainment complex in Arlington Heights. The Bears had sought $855 million in infrastructure funding and a property tax freeze, but ran into political headwinds, including Governor J.B. Pritzker's insistence that the team first pay off a $534 million debt tied to Soldier Field's 2003 renovation. Despite years of splashy renderings and shifting pitches, the franchise has struggled to make a compelling business case for taxpayers. Critics say the optics of a billionaire-owned team asking for public funding couldn't be worse amid state budget tightening. 🏈 Read more on what's next for the Bears' stalled suburban bid — and whether their stadium dream can still be revived — at the link.

Betty White's former home notched the largest sale in Brentwood in years in its recent trade. A trust linked to Ares Management's Matt Cwiertnia acquired the property in an off-market deal for about $30.9 million, or an astonishing $10,203 per square foot, making it the priciest sale per square foot in Brentwood — and one of the highest in Los Angeles — this year. The late Golden Girls star lived in the 3,000-square-foot home for more than 50 years before her death in 2021. Once marketed as a tear-down, the estate has now become one of L.A.’s most headline-grabbing transactions — proof that even in a cooling luxury market, star power and scarcity still sell. Go inside the deal at the link. ✍ Lauren Schram 📊 Matthew Elo

More than 6,000 real estate professionals will gather this Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 5-6, in Miami for The Real Deal Miami Real Estate Forum.⁠ ⁠ Before the panels begin, our South Florida team spoke with developers, brokers, lenders and other industry leaders about the themes that will dominate the conversation: slowing deal flow, rising construction costs, insurance pressures, and the next wave of investment strategies shaping the market.⁠ ⁠ Don’t go in unprepared — read our primer on South Florida real estate and get up to speed before #TRDForum kicks off.⁠ ⁠ 🎟️ https://lnkd.in/eDSqazMR 🗞️ Check out the full rundown of our two-day lineup: https://lnkd.in/erTjsWqd

Toby Moskovits and Michael Lichtenstein, once-prolific Brooklyn developers whose partnership came unraveled under the weight of debts they couldn't pay, are now facing federal fraud charges. Prosecutors allege the pair misused more than $1.9 million in Covid-era relief funds — money meant for employee payroll — to instead pay lawyers, architects and even a hat shop. They also tried to secure another $3.1 million, according to the indictment filed by the Southern District of New York. Moskovits and Lichtenstein's fraud charges mark a dramatic turn for the developers behind the Williamsburg Hotel and 25 Kent, once symbols of Brooklyn's post-recession boom. 🗞️ Read Rich Bockmann's full story on how it all unraveled at the link.

Creditors are chasing more than $400 million from the now-defunct law firms tied to real estate attorney Mark Nussbaum, according to new court filings reviewed by TRD's Keith Larsen. A fiduciary overseeing the liquidation says the firms kept “limited formalized records” and is asking a judge to approve hiring forensic accountants to trace missing funds. Nussbaum — who once used his law firm’s escrow accounts to broker bridge loans for real estate deals — now faces civil suits and criminal charges tied to missing escrow money. His remaining assets appear tied up in receivables from dealmakers, many of which have already fallen into foreclosure. 🔍 The unraveling continues in New York State Supreme Court, where new filings reveal how deep the damage may go. Read the full investigation at the link.

This Palm Beach power player didn't inherit her crown — she built it. In less than a decade, Margit Brandt Palm Beach has gone from reality TV rookie to one of the top brokers in America's priciest market. Since joining Premier Estate Properties in 2022, she's closed over $1 billion in deals — including the $150 million purchase of a private island in Palm Beach and Florida's most expensive home sale in 2024.⁠ ⁠ Now, she's opening her own Serena & Lily-designed office on the island's Bankers Row and representing some of Palm Beach's biggest names, including President Donald Trump.⁠ ⁠ Brandt is part of a new guard reshaping Palm Beach, where ambition outpaces pedigree and image is everything. “I admire people's success, and she did it on her own. It was hard work", Tony Beyer, a client of Margit's and investment fund manager, told TRD's Kate Hinsche.⁠ ⁠ ⭐ Want to know how Margit Brandt built a billion-dollar career? Read the full story — and then watch her break it all down live on stage when she joins #TRDForum's "Resi Unicorns" panel on Nov. 6 at Mana Wynwood in Miami. ⁠ 🗞️ https://lnkd.in/eDyAaNvu ⁠ 🎟️ https://lnkd.in/eH2gVPXX

A family-owned property in Chicago’s Fulton Market has become a national real estate cautionary tale: holding out for yesterday’s prices can cost you everything. After nearly a decade of missed opportunities, Old Second National Bank filed a $3 million foreclosure suit against the Pastorelli family, whose reluctance to lower their $12 million ask for the longtime home of Pastorelli Food Products mirrors a growing trend across overheated markets. Developers once lined up to buy the site, but the owner’s push for an eight-figure deal — far above market value — left the property unsold as Fulton Market evolved around it. Now, as rising interest rates reset valuations from coast to coast, even prime properties are losing leverage... and lenders' patience is running out. Read Sam Lounsberry's full story at the link below.

This eco-conscious Williamsburg condo building is set to break a number of city records. 179 N. 10th St. will top out at 75 feet, making it the tallest mass timber building in New York City when complete. Just as notably, the project will also be the first mass timber building in the city to achieve the ambitious Passive House building standard, making it one of the most energy efficient structures in the five boroughs. We spoke with KSK Construction Group, the team behind the project, about the benefits of mass timber and why Local Law 97 will encourage other properties to seek the Passive House certification going forward. Read here: https://lnkd.in/eVdzmizs #Sponsored #BrandStudio #MassTimber #SustainableLiving #UrbanDevelopment #NYCArchitecture #FutureOfConstruction