In this episode of the CRE Unplugged x Thesis Driven collab series, Nadine, Ryan, and Brad dive into four hot-button issues shaking up U.S. cities—and the real estate world. We continue to unpack NYC’s embattled congestion pricing plan (with a surprise Trump twist), break down Cambridge’s landmark rezoning and its impact on housing affordability, and ask the big question: why are mayors of America’s top cities floundering? Plus, we cut through the noise on the return-to-office wave and what it really means for commercial real estate.

Whether you're in real estate, urban policy, or just want to understand the forces reshaping our cities, this power session is your pulse check.

Show Notes:

0:10: Intro

0:47: Congestion Pricing Part 2 / Trump Weighs In

11:59: Cambridge, MA landmark Upzoning and affordable housing policy

20:18: Tanking approval ratings for major U.S. city mayors and the impact on development

28:33: HILO Highlights: David discusses CBRE/Industrious deal and value creation in CRE

36:04: Uptick in RTO buzz: actual shift or CEO posturing?

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com and www.thesisdriven.com for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions? We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and X!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

Nadine and Ryan sit down with Susan Gerock, CIO of Elme Communities and one of the most respected voices in multifamily tech, to cut through the noise and get real about what’s actually moving the needle in real estate technology. From the one tech investment smaller firms can’t afford to skip to how applying a hospitality mindset to multifamily is reshaping the industry, Susan brings sharp insights and hard-earned lessons on aligning innovation with strategy. She also tackles cybersecurity risks, marketing tech madness, and the biggest mistakes in tech adoption (so you don’t have to learn the hard way)—plus, she shares what happens when a tech rollout goes sideways, and how to course-correct like a pro. Plus, we explore her passion for diversity and inclusion in real estate through initiatives like Real Talk and her work with 826DC. Smart insights, candid takes, and a few laughs along the way—don’t miss this one.

Show Notes:

0:10: Intro / February’s all about the birthdays

5:20: The latest on multifamily

7:10: Introducing Susan Gerock

8:03: Susan’s career journey

14;24: What is Susan’s favorite asset class?

15:07: The role of CIO and aligning real estate tech with a company’s goals

18:39: Leveraging tech to enhance tenant experience and retention

21:43: Hospitality driving the multifamily experience

23:53: The state of marketing tech within multifamily

31:07: Common mistakes in tech rollouts

34:36: Tech implementation gone wrong

38:55: Tech recommendations for smaller CRE companies

43:55: Are we doing enough to protect our data?

50:22: Biggest CRE data blind spot

54:17: Susan’s vote for the one to watch real estate tech

59:20: Susan’s involvement in RealTalk and 826DC

1:07:56: How does Susan “unplug”

In the first episode of this special collaboration series, Nadine and Ryan are joined by none other than Brad Hargreaves, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thesis Driven and a sharp voice on all things real estate and urbanism. Together, we dive into the biggest trends shaping commercial real estate—from NYC’s congestion pricing and its ripple effects to the rise of exurbs and new cities designed for the next generation.

We also preview upcoming real estate events that are worth watching in 2024. And to top it off, Brad puts Nadine and Ryan to the test with a hilarious game of “PropTech Company or Prog Metal Band?” (Trust us, some of these names will surprise you.

Tune in for sharp insights, bold predictions, and definitely a few laughs.

Show Notes:

0:10: Kickoff

0:37: Introducing Brad Hargreaves

3:03: Breakdown of 2025 real estate/proptech events

10:40: NYC congestion pricing policy showdown

27:52: The rise of exburbs and new cities

40:24: Introducing David Abrams, CEO of HILO & Host of TEN

45:21: Proptech company or Progmetal band?

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at creunplugged.com and thesisdriven.com for all the latest news and updates.

Have thoughts or suggestions? We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and X!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.