The Real State

Hosted by Bleav

Business InvestingInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

129

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

The Real State is the intersection between the latest trends in real estate and its impact on our everyday lives. Alex Norman and Jamie Blond talk with industry leaders, business owners, and residents discussing issues affecting the real estate industry today and tomorrow. www.therealstate.co

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 202638 min

From Coup to Co-op: The Hidden Business Inside Your Building

Most people think of their apartment as a home. But if you live in a co-op, condo, HOA, or shared residential building, you are also part of a business, one with budgets, vendors, reserves, repairs, insurance, board politics, and financial decisions that can directly affect your monthly costs and property value. In this episode of The Real State, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond sit down with Tina Larsson, Co-Founder of The Folson Group, a former Wall Street analyst who organized a board coup in her own New York City co-op after questioning years of maintenance increases. By applying business discipline to building operations, Tina helped uncover $340,000 in savings and went on to build a consulting firm helping co-op and condo boards run their buildings more effectively. The conversation begins with the difference between a co-op and a condo, then moves into Tina’s personal story: how she went from Wall Street analyst to co-op reformer after discovering that her own building was wasting money. She explains what a board coup actually looks like, why transparency matters, and how residents can take a more active role in protecting what is often their largest lifetime investment. Alex, Jamie, and Tina also explore the hidden business inside residential buildings: maintenance fees, vendor contracts, staff roles, reserve funds, capital projects, special assessments, and the decisions that boards often inherit without questioning. Tina explains why many boards are not intentionally mismanaging buildings, but often lack the technical expertise, time, or business framework needed to make better decisions. The episode also looks at the pressure facing New York City buildings today, including aging infrastructure, rising repair costs, Local Law 97, sustainability mandates, electrical capacity, heat pumps, boilers, and the financial tension between doing what is necessary and keeping buildings affordable for residents. The conversation also touches on the Champlain Towers collapse in Surfside, Florida, deferred maintenance, structural assessments, and why residents and buyers need to pay closer attention to how buildings are maintained and managed. Whether you live in a co-op, own a condo, serve on a board, manage a building, or are thinking about buying in New York City, this episode reveals why your building is not just where you live. It is a shared business, a shared investment, and a shared responsibility. Topics discussed: Co-op vs. condo ownership NYC co-op boards and condo boards Why buildings need to be run like businesses Tina Larsson’s $340,000 co-op savings story Maintenance fees and annual increases Vendor contracts and building staff Board transparency and communication Property managers and resident managers Special assessments and capital repairs Local Law 97 and sustainability requirements Aging NYC buildings and infrastructure Deferred maintenance and building safety Champlain Towers / Surfside lessons What buyers should look for before purchasing Why Tina recommends looking at the basement Guest: Tina Larsson, Co-Founder of The Folson Group Website: thefolsongroup.com Connect with The Real State: Website: therealstate.co Send us feedback, topic ideas, or guest suggestions through our website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 1, 202633 min

Out There in the Dark: Can Movie Theaters Get Their Magic Back?

In this episode of The Real State Podcast, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond look at the changing movie theater experience and ask whether going to the movies can ever feel magical again. For decades, movie theaters were more than places to watch films. They were social rituals, date nights, family outings, teen hangouts, mall anchors, and shared cultural experiences. From popcorn and multiplexes to first dates, crowded theaters, and everyone talking about the same movie the next day, the theater created moments that brought people together. But the experience has changed. Streaming has made staying home easier. Big-screen TVs have narrowed the gap between home viewing and the theater. COVID changed how people think about germs, crowds, and cleanliness. Ticket prices, premium seats, food costs, and parking have made moviegoing more expensive. And phones, talking, and changing public behavior have made the shared experience harder to protect. Alex and Jamie discuss what has been lost, what has improved, and whether premium theaters, IMAX, recliners, event screenings, concert films, franchise movies, and audience participation can help bring people back. They also look ahead to upcoming theatrical releases and ask whether theaters need to stop simply showing movies and start creating events again. If you care about movies, malls, streaming, public spaces, entertainment trends, or the future of shared cultural experiences, this episode is for you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 28, 202639 min

From Leads to Deals: AI, Discipline, and Winning in Real Estate

In this episode of The Real State Podcast, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond sit down with DJ Carroll, entrepreneur, investor, author, business strategist, and creator of the AI platform Alli. DJ shares his journey from starting a lawn care business at 18 to building and selling companies, investing in real estate, owning 70+ rental units, and helping entrepreneurs sharpen their sales, systems, and mindset. The conversation explores how AI is changing real estate, why speed-to-lead and follow-up still win deals, and why sales remains the lifeblood of business even as technology advances. Alex, Jamie, and DJ also discuss entrepreneurship as a path to freedom, the risks and rewards of betting on yourself, the “Hunter Mindset,” and why businesses that fail to adopt AI may be left behind. DJ breaks down practical ways AI can help real estate professionals manage leads, follow up faster, update CRMs, write emails, and create more efficient sales systems. If you’re interested in real estate investing, AI tools, sales execution, entrepreneurship, or how business owners can adapt to a rapidly changing market, this episode offers a grounded and energetic look at what comes next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

March 30, 202634 min

Building Better Rooms: How Leaders Turn Innovation into Reality

In this episode of The Real State Podcast, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond welcome back Philipp Willigmann, Founder of u-path, former CSO at Vontier Ventures, and a leader working at the intersection of strategy, venture capital, partnerships, ecosystem design, and real-world deployment. Philipp first joined the show in 2021 to discuss the future of mobility. He now returns with a broader perspective on how innovation actually happens—and why it often doesn’t. At the center of this conversation is a powerful idea: innovation doesn’t fail because of weak technology. It fails because of the systems around it. Incentives, capital flows, institutions, and leadership alignment determine whether ideas ever make it into the real world. That’s where “building better rooms” comes in. Alex, Jamie, and Philipp explore how curated, trusted environments bring together the right leaders across corporate venture, innovation, capital, and policy to make better decisions and move faster from strategy to deployment. They discuss: Why trust and curation are more valuable than scale The rise of corporate venture capital as a strategic function The difference between performative innovation and real execution How geography (Miami, Berlin, and beyond) shapes leadership interaction What it takes to build credibility and convene global decision-makers Why better conversations lead to better outcomes This episode is not about conferences—it’s about infrastructure for better decision-making, and how leadership, capital, and place come together to shape the future of business and society. If you’re interested in innovation, leadership, venture capital, AI, corporate strategy, or how real decisions get made at the highest levels, this conversation offers a rare inside perspective. For more episodes, visit therealestate.co and follow The Real State Podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

February 26, 202635 min

What Makes a City Great: Americas Power Cities Under the Microscope.

What makes a city great? In this episode of The Real State Podcast, hosts Alex Norman and Jamie Blond unpack a BBC-driven debate about America’s top cities and the battle for the next spot behind New York and Los Angeles. With Chicago long treated as the default #3, they challenge the assumptions and make the case that Miami’s growth, global pull, and economic momentum may be reshaping the ranking. They break down nine criteria often used to judge “greatness,” including economic output, industry concentration, cultural export and tourism, migration, infrastructure, tax policy, and long-term resilience. Along the way, they compare New York’s legacy power, LA’s cultural machine and quality of life advantages, Chicago’s shifting role, and Miami’s rise as a destination for capital, talent, and global attention. They also touch on other contenders like San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boston, plus why outsiders may be most excited about Miami right now. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January 22, 202627 min

2025 Year in Review: Favorite Conversations from The Real State Podcast

As 2026 begins, hosts Alex Norman and Jamie Blond slow things down to reflect on the conversations that mattered most in 2025 on The Real State Podcast. Rather than revisiting headlines or trends, this year-end episode focuses on the ideas, stories, and debates that stayed with them long after the microphones were turned off. In this special Year in Review, Alex and Jamie revisit four standout episodes that capture the core themes of the show: Trading Suits for Stories, a deeply personal conversation about career pivots, creativity, and second acts; Tourism Revolt, an exploration of overtourism, housing pressure, and the balance between free markets and quality of life; Boundless, a discussion inspired by Alex’s book on accessibility, disability, aging, and inclusive design; and Fair Play, a forward-looking conversation on how schoolyards, parks, and public spaces shape confidence, behavior, and belonging from an early age. Across these episodes, recurring questions emerge. How do systems designed for efficiency overlook human experience? What role should government play in protecting livability, inclusion, and access? And how can design, policy, and community engagement work together to create better outcomes for everyone? This episode offers longtime listeners a chance to reconnect with the ideas that defined the year, and new listeners a clear entry point into the conversations that sit at the heart of The Real State. It’s a reflective, wide-ranging discussion about cities, culture, accessibility, and how thoughtful design can improve everyday life. If you’re looking for a snapshot of where the show has been and where it’s headed next, this episode brings it all together. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 22, 202533 min

Fair Play: Rethinking Schoolyards and Parks for Everyone

What do the spaces where we play as children teach us about belonging, confidence, and opportunity? In this episode of The Real State, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond sit down with Honorata Gręczykowska, an urban designer living and working in Barcelona whose research focuses on how the design of everyday spaces influences behavior, mobility, and social dynamics. Drawing from years of work across Europe and deep, year-long studies inside Catalonian primary schools, Honorata explains why schoolyards are often the first true public spaces children navigate independently—and why they matter far more than we realize. The conversation explores how culture, especially in a football-centric city like Barcelona, shapes public space design, and how participatory, intersectional research with children, parents, teachers, and municipalities can challenge long-standing norms. We dig into how small design decisions can dramatically change who feels welcome, who participates, and who is pushed to the margins, and why inclusive design doesn’t require big budgets—just better understanding. We close by looking ahead. What could the future of schoolyards, parks, and public spaces look like if cities truly designed for how people live and play? And how might these early experiences shape healthier, more confident communities for generations to come? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October 30, 202530 min

From Success to Significance: The Second Mountain Mindset

In From Success to Significance: The Second Mountain Mindset, Alex Norman and Jamie Blond unpack why the goals that drive us early in life often stop feeling satisfying and how that shift can open the door to purpose, community, and contribution. Inspired by David Brooks’ The Second Mountain, they share personal stories of career peaks, loss, reinvention, and the moment when achievement gives way to meaning. From Miami to Mexico City, more people are rebuilding their lives in midlife and rethinking what fulfillment looks like. This episode offers a candid, often funny take on second acts, the role of place in starting over, and why giving back can feel better than getting ahead. Follow The Real State for more honest conversations about life, change, and the spaces we build. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

September 10, 202531 min

Club Collapse: Why Mega Nightclubs Are Closing and the Future of Nightlife

Is the club era over or just evolving? In “Club Collapse,” Alex and Jamie trace the arc from Studio 54 to bottle service and today’s experience-driven mega clubs, then dig into why many are shuttering and what’s rising in their place. They cover cost inflation, $150–$200 entry fees, festival trade-offs, and the growing pull of destination party spots. You’ll hear why restaurants with “show” vibes are siphoning demand, how private members clubs changed the lounge game, and why smaller rooms, vinyl bars, and mixed-use spaces are delivering the connection people actually want. Alex also shares a DJ’s view on what makes intimate sets work and how venues can nurture emerging talent. If you enjoyed our restaurant episode, this one pairs perfectly. Rate and review, then tell us where you think nightlife goes next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 31, 202532 min

Prix Fixe Fatigue: Why Restaurant Week is No Longer a Deal

Restaurant Week started as a short, clever fix in 1992 and grew into month-long “deals,” yet the math has changed. Hosts Alex Norman and Jamie Blond unpack how food costs, rent, and wages climbed while drinking declined, why $60 prix fixe dinners still land at $300 with drinks and fees, and how seasonality and loud, rushed dining rooms erode the experience. With anecdotes from Miami and New York plus cultural shifts like Ozempic and Gen Z drinking habits, they explore what this says about the real state of city dining today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.