Hello and welcome to the Winter 2020 edition of The Real Deal LA! Below, Special Issues Editor Heidi Patalano gives you a look at what’s inside the issue:
The saga of Mohamed Hadid and his Strada Vecchia spec home has been playing out for years. But over the past few months, the drama hit a crescendo: The developer was ordered to demolish the enormous half-built home, which has been hit with stop-work orders from the city and a lawsuit from irate neighbors. As Hadid continues to fight the ruling (at least, as of press time), staff reporter Matthew Blake sat down with him, covering everything from his early years building in Washington, D.C., to squaring off with now-President Trump over the construction of a resort in Aspen. It’s a richly told tale you will not want to skip.
But Hadid isn’t the only man with an enviable mane to be featured in the issue. TRD checked in with Eastdil Secured principal Roy March and president Michael Van Konynenburg, who just pulled off a management-led buyout of the bulk of Wells Fargo’s stake in the firm. We get some insights on their plans for global expansion. We also crunch the numbers on L.A.’s most active developers and analyze how their bets have shifted over time.
Resi brokers may want to turn right to our look at how local professionals are handling NAR’s tightening of restrictions against pocket listings, which are considered by some as an essential option for sellers at the loftiest price points.
I’m thrilled to welcome our new associate editor in Los Angeles, Tina Daunt, who jumped right into the mix with a sit-down interview with NMS Properties principal Neil Shekhter. The developer gave a no-holds-barred account of his very messy, years-long legal battle with real estate investment firm AEW. Regrets? He’s had a few but is pushing forward with new projects in Santa Monica and beyond.
Enjoy the issue!
*Stories will be available to non-subscribers on February 10th.