PRESS RELEASE: NAREE's 74th Annual Journalism Competition Winners
/National Association of Real Estate Editors Announces 2024 Journalism Competition Winners
Austin - (June 20, 2024) - The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) announced the winners of its 74th Annual Journalism Awards today. This prestigious competition recognizes excellence in reporting, writing, and editing stories about residential and commercial real estate.
The awards were announced at NAREE’s annual conference held at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, Texas. A panel of expert judges from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University selected all winners. Medill’s Karen Springen chaired the panel. Here are NAREE’s 2024 winners with judges’ comments:
Platinum Award - Best Overall Individual Entry: Debra Kamin, The New York Times,
Collection Includes: “Alone in an Empty House, Female Real Estate Agents Face Danger,” “President of Powerful Realtors’ Group Is Accused of Sexual Harassment,” “President of Powerful Realtors’ Group Resigns After Sexual Harassment Claims,” “Chief Executive of National Association of Realtors Resigns,” “Women at Fast-Growing Realty Firm Say They Were Drugged and Assaulted,” “Powerful Realtors Group Loses Its Grip on the Industry”
Judges’ Comment: Debra Kamin’s investigative series gives an in-depth, nuanced look at the effect — or, in-effect — of the #MeToo movement in the real estate industry. Her reporting gave voice to women who accused the president of a Realtors group of sexual harassment, women who said male agents at a realty firm drugged and sexually assaulted them, and female real estate agents who have been put in vulnerable situations by industry practices, leading to harassment and even murder. Earning the trust of victims and victims’ families to tell their stories is no small feat, and Kamin does it consistently throughout this series.
President’s Award - Best Freelance Collection: Mark Ellwood, Freelance Writer - Financial Times UK and Robb Report
Collection Includes: “Why Are These Apartments The Most Coveted In The World,” “Reinventing Utopia,” “Location sensation”
Judges’ Comment: Editors stress the importance of scenes, and Mark Ellwood seems to specialize in them. For the Robb Report, he covered the most coveted apartments in the world. For the Financial Times weekend magazine, he wrote about the location scouts who find luxurious homes for lavish movies and shows like “Succession.” He always finds the people, the
places and the prices that make his pieces memorable.
Ruth Ryon Award - Best Young Journalist: Libertina Brandt, The Wall Street Journal
Judges’ Comment: Libertina Brandt covers luxury real estate for The Wall Street Journal – but with a twist. She steers clear of the usual suspects and usual places. Instead of heading to Beverly Hills, she does old-fashioned shoe-leather reporting from places like Carmel, Indiana. With her creative ideas, her thorough reporting and her “show, don’t tell” writing, she owns her beat.
Category 1: Kenneth R. Harney Award for Best Real Estate Consumer Education Reporting - $1,000 Award
Harney Winner: Linda Robertson, Miami Herald
“They bought their dream homes from the ‘King of Coconut Grove.’ They still can’t move in.”
Judges’ Comment: Reporter Linda Robertson thoroughly investigates and exposes a real-estate developer who sold nearly completed townhouses in an upscale neighborhood (the oldest in Miami) to trusting buyers – and then resold these reserved properties to other unknowing buyers. As Robertson explains in the story, she spoke to 16 buyers and examined lawsuits, mortgages, purchase agreements, property records and Miami building department reports. The work paid off. Through old-fashioned shoe-leather reporting, she exposes a nightmare-inducing scheme. The quotes are gems: “Welcome to Miami! A sunny place for shady people.” The online version makes good use of graphics, maps and photos to add to an already impressive story.
Category 2: Best Collection of Work by an Individual Covering Residential Real Estate
Gold Winner: Libertina Brandt, The Wall Street Journal
Collection Includes: “The Houses Must Be White, and the Designs Preapproved. Everybody Wants In.” “‘How Did I End Up in Indiana?’ Welcome to the Internet’s Favorite Small City,” “Walmart Helped Put Northwest Arkansas on the Map. Now Everybody Wants a Piece of It.”
Judges’ Comment: Libertina Brandt knows how to come up with interesting ideas (who knew the houses in Alys Beach, Florida, are all white and seem like they belong on the Greek Islands?) and then execute richly reported stories (who knew Carmel, Indiana, was such a hot spot?). She never skimps on reporting. Alys Beach homeowners who want to rent out their properties must use cotton-sateen blend Garnier-Thiebaut linens and dinner and flatware from Fortessa. Strong quotes come from extensive, in-depth reporting, and Brandt gets them. A couple who sold their Los Angeles home and headed to Carmel, Indiana, explains the allure, among other things, of all the Christmas decorations: “It looks like something out of a Jimmy Stewart movie.”
Silver Winner: Mitchell Parton, The Dallas Morning News
Collection Includes: “Why some think Frisco’s mayor is the only one selling homes next to the PGA golf courses,” “Your next house could be 3D-printed by a giant robot,” “Investors from Mexico find opportunity, stability in North Texas homes. Will it last?”
Judges’ Comment: In his collection of residential real estate stories, Mitchell Parton picks fresh subjects like 3D-printed concrete homes. And he unearths the facts so readers can decide for themselves whether, for example, it’s fair for the mayor of Frisco to lead a real-estate brokerage that’s sold more than $1 billion worth of homes – or whether he gets an unfair competitive advantage. He lets the mayor weigh in and say he is “just a realtor like everyone else.” All in all, his compelling stories make readers say, “Wow! Who knew?”
Bronze Winner: James Rodriguez, Business Insider
Collection Includes: “Gen Z is coming for the housing market,” “The multibillion-dollar lawsuits that could radically reshape how we buy and sell homes forever,”
“The housing market’s Ice Age”
Honorable Mention : Jacob Adelman, Barron’s
Collection Includes: “Tellus Promised Big Returns, It Misled Many Along the Way,” “The U.S. Treasury Hoped to Aid Low-Income Home Buyers. The Help Went to Johnny Depp, Too.” “The Making of a Mortgage Giant”
Category 3: Best Collection of Work by an Individual Covering Commercial Real Estate
Gold Winner: Daniel Geiger, Business Insider
Collection Includes: “Rural America is the new hotbed in the AI race as tech giants spend billions to turn farms into data centers,” “Matt Onofrio made $35 million helping everyday people invest in real estate. Then he was indicted. Was it all a scam?” “Landlords who bought thousands of apartments are facing a reckoning”
Judges’ Comment: Geiger's trio of stories are both timely and important. They’re also meticulous, backed by precise examples and hard-to-get data. In “AI race,” Geiger describes the frenzied rush for farmland for data centers and utilities' struggle to supply energy, with one utility quantifying it as equivalent to powering 560,000 Arizona homes. Another piece delves into Matt Onofrio, a nurse who got unsuspecting people, including a famous MMA fighter, to buy commercial properties from him while cheating them in the process. Throughout, Geiger's writing shines.
Gold Winner: Brian Rogal, Chicago Tribune
Collection Includes: “‘Bring Chicago Home' proposal aims to boost funding for homeless services. But a similar measure in LA slowed real estate sales,” “2 years ago, Amazon opened distribution sites in Matteson, Markham. Could they help bring back the south suburbs?” “Willis Tower is no longer the tallest building in the world. But it’s still a trendsetter as it turns 50 this week”
Judges' Comment: Rogal skillfully tackles important local real estate issues in these thought- provoking stories. From examining the fallout of a failed 'mansion tax' in Los Angeles (Chicago proposed a similar tax,) to exploring solutions for homelessness funding, his reporting is thorough and insightful. Delving into the impact of new Amazon warehouses on struggling suburbs, Rogal goes beyond surface analysis to scrutinize promises of economic revitalization. Through the lens of an ironworker, he commemorates the Willis Tower's 50th anniversary, crafting a strong body of work that engages and informs.
Silver Winner: Lidia Dinkova, The Real Deal
Collection Includes: “Resilient office market? Not quite. South Florida sublease availability soars,” “Miami ‘Silicon Valley of the South’? Hardly, data shows,” “Reality check: Financial office leasing in South Florida tapers over past three years”
Judges’ Comment: In this refreshing trio of stories, Dinkova dismantles the narrative of a booming South Florida office market. Through comprehensive reporting and meticulous data analysis, she reveals a starkly different reality. The number of leases available is up by one-third. In “Miami 'Silicon Valley of the South?' Hardly,” Dinkova finds that only 29% of Florida’s office leases cater to tech firms, contrasting sharply with Silicon Valley's 50% rate. With deep sourcing and clear prose, the stories offer a much-needed reality check on real estate hype.
Bronze Winner: Neil Callanan, Bloomberg News
Collection Includes: "Wall Street's New Zombies May Well Be Regional Banks,” “Global Property Market Faces $175 Billion Debt Spiral,” “Asbestos, Bailouts and a Half-Built Mall Show UK Crisis in Cheap Rentals”
Honorable Mention: Kirk Pinho, Crain's Detroit Business
Collection Includes: "From Dream to Reality,” “Hidden Guardian,” “‘Golden Tower’ Goes
Green”
Category 4: Best Regular or Syndicated Real Estate Column Gold Winner: Tim McKeough, The New York Times
“On Location: Swapping Good Enough for Spectacular”
Judges’ Comment: For this “On Location” column, reporter Tim McKeough tucks in specific details about a husband and wife, originally from Ukraine, who buy an “ugly-duckling” 1930s home in Brooklyn and convert it into a gorgeous 2,700-square-foot home inspired by row-houses in the French Quarter of New Orleans. McKeough makes readers feel as though they’re on scene, touring the home and seeing the Lattice chandelier hanging in front of the carved Rojo Alicante marble fireplace.
Silver Winner: Robyn A. Friedman, Freelance Writer, Mansion, The Wall Street Journal
“Counting House: Age Is Just a Number – Except When You’re Applying for a Mortgage”
Judges’ Comment: Robyn A. Friedman knows how to come up with good story ideas – and how to execute them. It’s hard enough to get a mortgage when you’re young and employed. Try being a senior citizen and retired. Strong reporter that she is, she tracks down statistics. According to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data provided to The Wall Street Journal by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 13% of all mortgages originated in 2021 were by people 65 and older. That’s 1.9 million mortgages. She gives her readers specific advice, including understanding that cosigning for a child’s or grandchild’s loan can hurt a credit score.
Bronze Winner: Jon Gorey, The Boston Globe Magazine
“Perspective: No One Should Have to Choose Between an Affordable Home and Longer Life”
Category 5: Best Economic Analysis - Real Estate
Gold Winner: Paulina Cachero, Bloomberg News
“NYC’s Rent Surge Defied by New Grads Pursuing a TikTok Lifestyle”
Judges’ Comment: Cachero’s engaging analysis of high rents in New York City delivers a twist: Young people rent exorbitantly expensive apartments they can’t afford and do “whatever it takes,” just so they can post TikTok videos depicting their glamorous lifestyles. One young transplant has four roommates, works overtime, and has side hustles to afford her penthouse apartment. Cachero’s characters make a dry subject accessible, and ample data underpins this well-written story.
Silver Winner: Olivia Lueckemeyer, Bisnow
“‘Not On Our Backs’: Risk of Displacement Grows As DFW Property Values Soar”
Judges’ Comment: Housing affordability is at the center of Lueckemeyer’s thoroughly reported story about soaring property values in even the most down-and-out neighborhoods in Dallas-Fort Worth. In one instance, an elderly woman who can no longer afford her long-time home is forced to move (and dies two weeks later). Excellent sourcing produces a nuanced story and key data underlines the scope of the problem. Lueckemeyer also explores solutions, including proposed
local government incentives.
Bronze Winner: Keith Larsen, The Real Deal
“Why real estate is so difficult to price right now”
Honorable Mention: James Rodriguez, Business Insider
“The housing market’s Ice Age”
Category 6: Best Interior Design Story
Gold Winner: Jessica Flint, Mansion, The Wall Street Journal “Designers Who Are Practically Family”
Judges’ Comment: It’s tricky to find the perfect “real people” to illustrate the point of a story. Jessica Flint pulls it off. Historic preservation buffs Candy and Andy Roberts restored eight Colorado homes during their 40-year marriage – all with the same interior designer. Flint knows to just directly quote gems. When she asks about the cost of the couple’s design projects, she gets this answer from a laughing Andy Roberts: “I quit counting, but Candy didn’t quit spending.”
Silver Winner: Andy Peters, CoStar News
“How Office Furniture Recyclers Divert a Growing Pile From Landfills”
Judges’ Comment: Andy Peters uses data (17 billion pounds of “office assets” go to landfills each year), examples (Twitter auctioned “surplus corporate office assets,” including designer furniture) and the reasons behind all the unwanted chairs (corporate America is upgrading office chairs to improve employee morale – hence, head and back support in the new chairs at Chase’s headquarters). The specific, not generic, details make the piece.
Bronze Winner: Michele Lerner, Freelance Writer, Green Builder
“Dumpster Diving for Home Décor”
Category 7: Best Architecture Story
Gold Winner: Nancy Keates, The Wall Street Journal
“Triple-Digit Heat, but No Electric Bill? For Passive Homeowners, ‘It’s Hard to Go Back’”
Judges’ Comment: Nancy Keates zooms in on the real people who make the complicated, technical, intriguing topic of “passive homes” – built using airtight construction, highly insulated windows, shades and untraditional heating and cooling systems - understandable and interesting.
She hooks the reader with a husband and wife who moved into a newly built house that was so energy efficient that the electric company owed them money. With effective use of numbers and real people, Keates takes a fresh, compelling look at a little-covered area of green home construction.
Silver Winner: Anna Kodé, The New York Times “America, the Bland”
Judges’ Comment: Given the lack of affordable housing in many parts of the country, does it matter that many new, reasonably priced apartments look boxy and bland? The interactive story shows a photo of a building and asks readers to guess which city it’s in – Nashville, Seattle, Denver? Anna Kodé visits all three places and interviews “real people” and experts. The creator of the “McMansion Hell” blog notes that getting housing built is more important than “nit- picking over aesthetics” but votes for improving aesthetics, too. The strong reporting in this piece leads to a strong story.
Bronze Winner: Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald
“’It’s a crime.’ Mogul aims to demolish famed architect’s Coral Gables masterpiece home.”
Honorable Mention: Mark Ellwood, Freelance Writer, Robb Report
“Why Are These Apartments The Most Coveted in the World?”
Category 8: Best Residential Real Estate Story – Daily or Weekly Newspaper
Gold Winner: Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times
“’The tenant from hell’: She refused to pay for her luxury Airbnb for 540 days. She says she has a legal right to stay.”
Judges’ Comment: Flemming’s story untangles a complicated web of legalities amid a long- ranging he-said-she-said conflict. With all the bases such a story needs to cover, it would be easy to get bogged down in the details of the debate. But the lithe writing takes the reader through two sides of an emotional, exasperating debate and to a better understanding of how a larger system of ordinances and issues around affordable housing can create complex situations for renters and landlords.
Silver Winner: Rukmini Callimachi, The New York Times
“I Live in My Car”
Judges’ Comment: Callimachi’s reporting offers an intimate look into the lives of the “mobile homeless” to show a growing effect of the country’s housing crisis. The reporting weaves together the snapshots of these people’s lives to create a bigger picture of how, for some, the best
option is to live out of their cars when issues such as bad credit, high rent and other real estate hurdles have closed all other doors to them.
Bronze Winner: Mitchell Parton, The Dallas Morning News
“Why some think Frisco’s mayor is the only one selling homes next to the PGA golf courses”
Honorable Mention: Jarred Schenke, Bisnow
“How Renters Are Using TikTok, X To Defraud Landlords At Luxury Apartments”
Category 9: Best Residential Mortgage or Financial Real Estate Story - Daily or Weekly Newspaper
Gold Winner: Richard Mize, The Oklahoman
“Redlining continues in low minority Oklahoma home values. Should the appraisal process be changed?”
Judges’ Comment: Mize’s story on modern-day redlining digs into how systemic racism — from individual appraisers’ biases, all the way up to the nation’s biggest mortgage lenders — is directly affecting Black homeowners in Oklahoma City. It is a complex story with many players at many levels involved, but Mize agilely leads the reader through this maze and to efforts to effect change.
Silver Winner: Michaelle Bond, The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Manufactured-home communities aren’t just in rural Pa. Owners on rented land are often unprotected”
Judges’ Comment: Bond’s reporting on the vulnerable, understudied manufactured-home communities in Pennsylvania brings the difficulties they face to a wider audience. Bond nimbly educates the reader on the financial options that make living in manufactured homes on rented land both a more affordable route for some people while also limiting the types of loans and aid they can receive.
Bronze Winner: Ronda Kaysen, The New York Times
“Feeling Mortgage-Rate Envy? You’re Not Alone”
Honorable Mention: Cameron Sperance, Address, Boston Sunday Globe
“Wait until your father/mother gets home – with the check”
Category 10: Best Commercial Real Estate Story - Daily or Weekly Newspaper
Gold Winner: Kate King, The Wall Street Journal
“Owners Keep Zombie Malls Alive Even When Towns Want to Pull the Plug”
Judges’ Comment: King explains in this insightful story why zombie malls sit undeveloped for years. The owners make money by selling off pieces of the valuable property where they sit, often to the consternation of local communities. With deft writing and an eye for detail, King describes sinkholes in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania mall (where Taylor Swift shopped when she was a teen) and the helplessness of the local government to do anything other than issue fines.
Silver Winner: Steph Kukuljan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“'More than soccer': St. Louis businesses see CityPark luring more people, money downtown”
Judges’ Comment: This is an informative and well-written story about the influx of new businesses near a brand new $500 million soccer stadium in downtown St. Louis. Specific examples demonstrate the impact, such as an Irish bar undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, a tearoom expanding into new space, and the conversion of a historic building into 384 apartments. Kukuljan also knows how to use numbers without overwhelming the reader.
Bronze Winner: Brian Rogal, Chicago Tribune
"'Bring Chicago Home' proposal aims to boost funding for homeless services. But a similar measure in LA slowed real estate sales."
Honorable Mention: Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal
“Reno property owner says public agency took his driveway for roundabout. Agency says it’s public property”
Category 11: Best Residential Real Estate, Residential Mortgage or Financial Real Estate Magazine Story - General Circulation
Gold Winner: Mark Ellwood, Freelance Writer, FT Weekend magazine, Financial Times UK
“Location sensation”
Judges’ Comment: Location, location, location. It’s crucial in real estate – and in movies and shows like “Succession.” Enter location scouts, who find luxurious homes (like one that belonged to Henry Ford’s grandson) that seem suitable for fictional uber-rich characters. Mark Ellwood zooms in on these people and on the dollar figures. The fees for the fanciest houses can be $50,000 a day. And every year Americans can rent out their homes, tax free, for 14 days (but not more). It’s fascinating and fun – a winning combination.
Silver Winner: Michele Lerner, Freelance Writer, Washingtonian magazine
“More Older Americans Are Opting to Age in Their Homes. Here’s How They’re Doing It.”
Judges’ Comment: Michele Lerner hooks the reader with a 70-something retired PR executive who chooses to stay in his beloved DuPont neighborhood but switch homes because of an ah-ha moment over the age-unfriendliness of his spiral staircase. Like many seniors, he likes living there rather than in senior housing. This self-reflection-inducing story, which looks at options like support groups and roommates, should resonate with older readers and with younger ones who are thinking about both their parents’ futures and their own.
Bronze Winner: Robyn A. Friedman, Freelance Writer, Florida Trend
“Towering Uncertainty”
Honorable Mention: Molly Crabapple, The Nation
“The Renters’ Revolt”
Honorable Mention: Jacob Adelman, Barron’s
“Money Games: Tellus Promised Big Returns. It Misled Many Along the Way”
Category 12: Best Residential Real Estate Trade or B-to-B Magazine Story
Gold Winner: Kathryn Brenzel, The Real Deal
“Unfinished Business: How Fortis’ luxury high-rise became the leaning tower of FiDi”
Judges’ Comment: Kathryn Brenzel skillfully tells the tale of a luxury Manhattan high rise that “tilts three inches to the north.” That kind of specific detail (and good verb) illustrate the touches that help this piece stand out. The reporting is topnotch. Brenzel captures the many problems with the ill-fated project, including a father of five with a decade of construction experience who plummeted 29 stories to his death. The building remains unfinished, but this well-written article is complete.
Silver Winner: Sheridan Wall, The Real Deal
“Co-ops Under Countdown: For ground lease properties, expiration means possible decimation”
Judges’ Comment: It’s tricky to understand New York City’s complicated co-op arrangements, but Sheridan Wall gives readers a remarkably good tutorial. As she explains, shareholders in a “ground lease” co-op don’t own the land underneath their building. Instead, they pay the landowner rent. But that can go up. Uh-oh. Wall illustrates the problem with a real person who lives in Carnegie House and worries the real-estate investors who bought the land underneath his
co-op will oust his family and ruin him financially. It’s an excellent primer – and a cautionary tale.
Bronze Winner: Harrison Connery, The Real Deal
“Two years into going public, Compass still has issues with its books”
Honorable Mention: Jim Davis, Scotsman Guide
“Closings: A homebuilding boom should gain steam in the coming years”
Category 13: Best Commercial Real Estate Trade or B-to-B Magazine Story Gold Winner: Jane Adler, Seniors Housing Business,
“The Art of Turning Around Troubled Properties”
Judges’ Comment: With excellent sourcing and clear writing, Adler sheds light on troubled corners of the seniors housing market, and how rural areas are hardest hit. Numbers help tell the story of loan write-offs and defaults and properties with occupancy rates below 50%. Adler gets reluctant operators to talk about the arduous process of reviving a troubled property that needs major renovations, for example, or that can’t staff adequately. Relevant data and graphics add to this stand-out story.
Silver Winner: Jeff Shaw, Seniors Housing Business
“The Affordable Housing Gap”
Judges’ Comment: It’s a double whammy for affordable senior housing development: Inflation has raised construction costs more than 30%, while at the same time inflation is shrinking seniors’ savings. The result is more need for such housing, but less incentive to build at slim profit margins. Shaw does a great job explaining the emerging crisis for low-income seniors and laying out potential solutions. Shaw’s clear writing and comprehensive sourcing make this a compelling story.
Bronze Winner: Samantha Rowan, Real Estate Capital USA
“The great reset”
Honorable mention: Randy Plavajka, Real Estate Capital USA
“Change of relations”
Category 14: Best Online Residential, Mortgage or Financial Real Estate Story
Gold Winner: Roxana Popescu and Lori Weisberg, The San Diego Union-Tribune
“San Diego’s new short-term rental rules say no more than one license per person. So how did one owner get more than 100?”
Judges’ Comment: Roxana Popescu and Lori Weisberg’s reporting illustrates the workaround one San Diego property owner used to get around a new short-term rental law. To take readers through the web of legal loopholes that allow for this workaround, the reporters interviewed lawmakers, tenants and the owners who used the workaround, giving a nuanced look at the situation. The online presentation of the story also allows readers to see a map with the properties in question and a copy of a form the owner has short-term renters sign.
Silver Winner: Jordan Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“Lives derailed: Six months later, an unending nightmare continues in East Palestine”
Judges’ Comment: Anderson’s story revisits East Palestine, Ohio, half a year after a train carrying hazardous material derailed. The in-depth reporting takes readers into the town and into the lives of its residents, all still struggling in the aftermath amid health concerns, lawsuits and uncertainty for the future as people live in temporary housing or contemplate selling despite lack of interest from buyers. The online presentation of the story highlights photos of both the disaster and its aftermath, emphasizing the residents directly affected.
Bronze Winner: Rosalind Adams and Bianca Pallaro, The City
“How the Sale of Signature Bank’s Huge Mortgage Portfolio Could Change the Lives of NYC’s Tenants”
Honorable Mention: Dani Vanderboegh, Inman
“Top women real estate leaders spell out sexual harassment”
Category 15: Best Online Commercial Real Estate Story
Gold winner: John Gittelsohn, Bloomberg News
“Downtown LA’s Office Distress Shows the Pain Coming for Cities”
Judges’ Comment: Gittelsohn’s prose elevates this comprehensive story, as do data and helpful visualizations that drive home the severity of the downturn in L.A.’s downtown commercial real estate market. Statistics on rising vacancy and crime rates were artfully woven into a narrative with memorable, if devastating anecdotes, such as an executive leaving a fancy club in downtown L.A. to see a man with his pants down, defecating in the street.
Silver winner: Ciara Long, Mike Phillips and Jacob Wallace, Bisnow
“SPECIAL REPORT: Real Estate’s Global Emissions Are Getting Worse. Many In Industry Have No Plans To Improve”
Judges’ Comment: The reporters dug into the documents and public statements of 75 large real estate companies and institutional investors for this excellent example of accountability journalism. They found that despite a lot of talk about lowering emissions, fewer than half the companies even had a decarbonization target. The story is clearly and persuasively written, and an interactive graphic allows readers to visualize where the companies stand on a variety of metrics.
Bronze winner: James Rodriguez, Business Insider
“Gen Z is coming for the housing market”
Honorable mention: Olivia Lueckemeyer, Bisnow
“CRE Investor Admits To $150M Fraud After Laundering Cash Through Crypto, Fleeing
Country”
Category 16: Best Real Estate E-Newsletter
Gold Winner: Kerry Barger, The Wall Street Journal “WSJ: Real Estate”
Judges’ Comment: This newsletter is a joy to scroll through, from the personable introduction to the eye-catching photos, headlines and bits of trivia sprinkled throughout. There’s enough information contained within it to bring the busy reader up to speed on the latest real estate news, but also makes it easy for those with more time and interest to click through to the main articles.
Silver Winner: Steph Kukuljan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Brick City”
Judges’ Comment: Brick City sums up all the latest real estate news in capsule form, with the consistent voice of Kukuljan shining clearly throughout the newsletter. The offerings are varied in this tight package, including a quick Q-and-A and shorter blurbs in the “Reporter’s Notebook.” The callout to readers to stay in touch is another nice touch.
Bronze Winner: Katherine Kallergis, The Real Deal
“The Weekly Dirt”
Honorable Mention: Oshrat Carmiel, Highest & Best
“Highest and Best”
Category 17: Best Audio Real Estate Report – Online or Broadcast – Podcast or Radio – local, network, subscription or Internet channels
Gold Winner: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED News
“How the Bay Area’s Biggest City Wants to Overcome Its Sprawl”
Judges’ Comment: Host Bandlamudi navigates the landscape of urban planning, unraveling the narrative of a city's quest – San Jose -- to redefine “home.” Through exceptional storytelling, residents, planners, and commuters offer insights into the city’s ambitious endeavor to combat sprawl, make communities more walkable and reduce carbon emissions. However, progress is hindered by bureaucratic red tape and resistance to change, making the journey both enlightening and frustrating. Music and natural sound are woven into this beautifully written and produced piece.
Silver Winner: Miriam Hall, Bisnow
“BISNOW Reports PODCAST: BentallGreenOak Co-CEO Sonny Kalsi On The Banking Crisis’s Real Estate Impact”
Judges’ Comment: This podcast stands out with strong production values and an insightful conversation with the co-CEO of real estate investment firm BGO during the Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank crisis. Host Miriam Hall's engaging style and thorough follow-ups elicit newsworthy tidbits, such as that BGO had exposure to Signature but pulled its money out before it failed. Focused on real estate impacts and emerging opportunities post-crisis, this podcast is essential listening for industry insiders.
Bronze Winner: Jordana Rothberg, Multi-Housing News
“MHN: Top Marketers: Integrating ESG, DEI & Philanthropy”
Honorable Mention: Laura Calugar, Multi-Housing News
“MHN: Mission Success: What On-Site Staff Must Know About Human Trafficking in MultiFamily”
Category 18: Best Video Real Estate Report Online or Broadcast – Streaming or Television – local, network, subscription or internet channels
Gold Winner: Jared Kofsky, Maia Rosenfeld, Caterina Barbera Kipreos, Stephanie Ramos, Brianti Downing, and Michelle Lada, ABC News
“ABC News Live, Prime Focus: Affordable Housing Crisis”
Judges’ Comment: Thoroughly researched, ABC's prime-time video story is gripping, revealing the human toll of housing shortages in the U.S. Using federal data, they identify counties with longest waits, consulting experts for solutions. Low-income residents sit on wait lists for years, including a mother who’s been on the wait list for a dozen years. The scope of the investigation is impressive. While data-driven, this long-form story humanizes the issue, intertwining emotional narratives with compelling visuals and emphasizing the people behind the statistics.
Silver Winner: Beckie Strum, Mansion Global, Barron’s
“Design Spotlight: Jersey City - Mansion or Art Gallery? This New Jersey Stunner is Both”
Judges’ Comment: Strum's video showcases the charm of a Jersey City factory turned into a breathtaking multi-level home and art gallery. The owners' hands-on renovation journey adds depth, with playful nods to its 'industrial harem' aesthetic featuring Turkish rugs. Strum's interviews provide insight into their creative process, while expertly guiding viewers through the property's captivating details. From hand-painted murals to a meticulously restored century-old elevator, the video's stunning visuals and seamless editing capture the essence of this unique space.,
Bronze Winner: Liz Lucking, Mansion Global, Barron’s
“Design Spotlight: Castles - These Castles Can Be Found in Unexpected Places Throughout the U.S.”
Honorable Mention: Jesse Williams, RISMedia
“Brokers Bullish on AI as BCI Holds Steady”
Category 19: Best Breaking Real Estate News Story – Commercial or residential; single or multiple bylines
Gold Winner: Jim Dalrymple II, Inman
“Real estate heroes come to rescue after suffering losses in Maui fires”
Judges’ Comment: Dalrymple’s story centers real estate agents who mobilized their professional and social networks to help relief efforts and organize their communities during and after the Maui fires, even when some of the agents were victims themselves. The reporting and writing highlight the personal experiences of the agents in Maui while also covering supports offered by larger real estate institutions, offering a unique angle for covering a national and international story.
Silver Winner: Dees Stribling, Bisnow
“What The Historic Collapses Of SVB, Signature Bank Mean For Commercial Real Estate
Investors”
Judges’ Comment: Silicon Valley Bank collapsed on a Friday. Signature Bank was overtaken by regulars on a Sunday and this story, published on that Monday, placed those two events into context for the real estate industry and the country’s financial history. The story includes both immediate follow-up actions by the federal government and longer-range looks at implications for the market, made possible by Stribling’s reporting among industry sources.
Bronze Winner: Marissa Luck, Houston Chronicle
“Tesla plans Houston-area expansion with large new industrial site in Brookshire” Honorable Mention: Miriam Hall and Ethan Rothstein, Bisnow
“11 Injured After Crane Partially Collapses Into Apartment Building Near Hudson Yards”
Category 20: Best Investigative Report or Investigative Series - Real Estate - Commercial or residential real estate
Gold Winner: Ciara Long, Mike Phillips, Jacob Wallace, and Miriam Hall, Bisnow
Collection Includes: Inside CRE’s Frustrating Battle To Reduce Its Carbon Emissions — And Save Humanity,” “Podcast: Inside Bisnow’s Investigation Into Big Real Estate’s Decarbonization Plans,” “Real Estate’s Global Emissions Are Getting Worse. Many In Industry Have No Plans To Improve,” “Real Estate’s Efforts to Cut Carbon Emissions ‘May As Well Be Doing Nothing’”
Judges’ Comment: This series on commercial real estate’s effect on climate change balances deep dives into data with solid reporting and writing, complemented by a podcast explaining how the investigation was done. In such a large, sweeping issue as climate change, it can be easy to get mired in information overload, but the series parses out the information in a well- organized three-part special report that ties the real estate industry to one of the most pressing issues facing our world today.
Silver Winner: Daniel Geiger, Ellen Thomas, Rebecca Ungarino, and Issie Lapowsky, Business Insider
Collection Includes: “Inside AI's giant land grab,” “Amazon built a data center empire in northern Virginia. Exclusive filings reveal it’s using as much energy as a major city.” “Data Centers are booming. Their need for power is causing utilities to retreat on green energy.” “Rural America is the new hotbed in the AI race as tech giants spend billions to turn farms into data centers.” “Blackstone’s data center gamble,” “Data centers have become an economic powerhouse. Now they’re throwing their weight around in Virginia politics”
Judges’ Comment: The issue of artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the hottest topics of today, but for most, it remains a phenomenon contained in the digital world. This team’s
reporting shows how AI is already a concrete reality in the form of data centers being built across the country and what these centers mean for the communities in which they are being built. This series of stories deftly illustrates how the AI race is influencing local economics, politics and the environment.
Bronze Winner: Colin Lecher and Maddy Varner, The Markup
Collection Includes: “L.A.’s Scoring System for Subsidized Housing Gives Black and Latino People Experiencing Homelessness Lower Priority Scores,” “How We Investigated L.A.’s Homelessness Scoring System,” “Journalists: Investigate Homeless Vulnerability Scoring in Your City”
Bronze Winner: Robin Urevich and Gabriel Sandoval, Capital & Main and ProPublica
Collection Includes: “Checked Out: How L.A. Failed to Stop Landlords From Turning Low- Cost Housing Into Tourist Hotels,” “Los Angeles Housing Department Will Investigate Residential Hotels,” “L.A. Promised to Preserve Low-Cost Housing. These Tenants’ Homes Were Turned Into Hotel Rooms Anyway.” “How We Found What the City of L.A. Didn’t: Landlords Renting Low-Cost. Housing to Tourists,” “L.A. Housing Department Proposes Increasing Residential Hotel Enforcement,” “Los Angeles Mayor Orders Residential Hotels to Be Opened for Temporary Shelter.” “Residential Hotels Got Contracts Under the Los Angeles Mayor’s Homelessness Program Despite Violations,” “Los Angeles Orders More Residential Hotels to Stop Renting to Tourists”
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gammage , Massarah Mikati, Jake Blumgart, and Sean Collins Walsh, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Collection Includes: “Downtown Dreams,” “The Sixers billion-dollar plan for a new arena could come down to one person. And it’s not the next mayor.” “Sixers say area around proposed City Center arena could handle thousands of cars on game days,” “Sixers will pay for Philadelphia’s impact studies of the team’s plan for a downtown arena,” “Sixers and Comcast Spectacor are battling publicly and privately over the team’s proposed downtown arena”
Category 21: Best Multi-Platform Package or Series - Real Estate
Gold Winner: Jonathan LaMantia, Rachel Weiss, Bart Jones, Beth Whitehouse, Sarina Trangle, and Arielle Dollinger, Newsday
Collection Includes: “Feeling the Squeeze series: ‘LI’s Cost of Living Crisis,’” “Facing LI’s Extreme Tax Burden,” “LI Homeownership Comes at a Price”
Judges’ Comment: With a wealth of documentation and clarity, the authors reveal the harsh realities of coping with soaring real estate costs and taxes on Long Island, showcasing the struggles of residents. Excellent sourcing and sidebar stories with real people pull the reader in and bring the story to life. Delving into nuanced topics like the impact of restrictive zoning, the
series offers valuable insights, complemented by helpful resources and advice in text boxes. It’s a meticulously produced package.
Silver Winner: Maddy McCarty, Miriam Hall, and Olivia Lueckemeyer, Bisnow
Collection Includes: “The Fraying Of The Texas Miracle: How The State’s Affordability Edge Is Coming Undone,” “The Nation’s Second-Worst Housing Shortage Is Crashing Into the ‘Texas Miracle,’” “Everything’s Bigger in Texas: Angry Neighbors, Aging Policies And Lack Of Will Are Digging A 10-Gallon Housing Hole,” “When Local Control Turns Into Local Out of Control’: The Battle Over Who Should Fix Texas’ Housing Woes,” “Podcast: Affording The ‘Texas Miracle,’ Featuring Former Gov. Rick Perry”
Judges' Comment: In the shadow of the "Texas Miracle," a harsh truth emerges: affordable housing may now be a relic. Packaged together with a podcast, this collection of deeply reported stories is a warning call to Texas stakeholders. Soaring housing costs have begun to stifle corporate relocations and population influx. The authors explore policy solutions and capture stories like Xander Roan's, a line cook who fled to Denver for affordable rent. Clear, strong writing and easy-to-use interactive graphics round out this excellent collection.
Bronze Winner: Ben Eisen, Nicole Friedman, Rachel Louise Ensign and Andrew Ackerman, The Wall Street Journal
Collection Includes: “The Mortgage Market Is So Bad Lenders Want Ex-Employees to Give Back Their Bonuses,” “Banks Don’t Love Rich Mortgage Borrowers as Much as They Used To,” “Zombie Mortgages Could Force Some Homeowners Into Foreclosure,” “Podcast: The Zombie Mortgages Stalking American Homeowners”
Honorable Mention: Anna Kodé, The New York Times
“Barbie, Her House and the American Dream”
Category 22: Best International Real Estate Story
Gold Winner: Ronda Kaysen, The New York Times “Americans Head to Europe for the Good Life on the Cheap”
Judges’ Comment: Why not move to Portugal? Ronda Kaysen explains – with real people to illustrate her points -- why many U.S. couples swapped their lives in the U.S. for more luxurious ones in Lisbon. As she makes clear, the newcomers snap up the housing and drive up prices for locals, who can no longer afford it. Figures help her explain the failure-to-launch consequences: 90% of southern Europeans under 35 still live at home. Kaysen gives context, explaining that Greece, Portugal and Spain courted deep-pocketed foreigners with “digital nomad” visas that allow foreigners to live in their countries for extended periods.
Silver Winner: Ari Altstedter, Bloomberg News
“A Nation’s Heavily Indebted Consumers Face a Painful Margin Call”
Judges’ Comment: Ari Altstedter tells the story of one Canadian delivery driver to explain how many Canadians got themselves into a pickle when interests rates were low. Deliver driver James Keber was earning plenty of overtime money at the height of the pandemic – so much that he leased a boat and an all-terrain vehicle and then maxed out his bigger line of credit. Unfortunately, it had a floating rate, so the cost of his debt now outpaces his take-home pay for $660 a month. Altstedter tucks in many good “who knew” details, including the tidbit that Canada’s debt-to-income ratio reached was the highest in the Group of Seven countries by the end of 2021. He knows how to make a complicated subject easy to understand and interesting to read.
Bronze Winner: Mike Phillips, Bisnow
“Hines To Exit $2.3B Russia Business As Real Estate Works Through Post-War Breakup”
Honorable Mention: Neil Callanan, Jack Sidders, Kyungji Cho and Daedo Kim, Bloomberg News
“In London, New York and Paris, a Giant Office Bet Is Going Wrong” Honorable Mention: Paul Norman and Julia Lee, CoStar News
“Coronation Special: How and When King Charles’s Real Estate Was Assembled”
Category 23: Best Team Report - Real Estate
Gold Winner: Michael Smith and Prashant Gopal, Bloomberg News “Ravaged Florida Town Becomes a Magnet for Risk-Taking Homebuyers”
Judges’ Comment: Hurricane Ian decimated Fort Myers Beach. Michael Smith and Prashant Gopal show how developers and the rich are swooping in and gentrifying a place where many pre-storm residents cannot afford to rebuild or live anymore. They explain the “whys.” Among them: Rebuilding even a modest house can cost $1 million. Like all good reporters, they use quotes from both experts and real people, including a husband and wife who figure out how to afford to stay. (In part, they do it by convincing friends in the construction business to work on their home at a discount.) In short, they follow the advice to let the people closest to the story – in this case, the ones who lost their houses and want to remain despite the financial obstacles -- do the talking.
Silver Winner: Will Parker, Konrad Putzier, and Shane Shifflett, The Wall Street Journal
“A Housing Bust Comes for Thousands of Small-Time Investors”
Judges’ Comment: Dozens of small investors believed Houston landlord Jay Gajavelli, who pitched double-your-money returns on YouTube and at conferences and owned $500 million worth of apartment buildings with more than 7,000 units. The reporters show how interest-rate increases drove up monthly loan payments, and inflation increased expenses. Uh-oh. They also help to illustrate a larger problem: thousands of real-estate entrepreneurs known as syndicators hold properties they can no longer afford. They tend to favor properties in the south and southwest, with fewer renter protections (which makes evictions and rent increases easier). They end with a haunting line about how Gajavelli offered his investors a “silver lining” by suggesting they contact their tax adviser to discuss how to recognize their investment loss on their tax filings.
Bronze Winner: Harrison Connery and Sheridan Wall, The Real Deal
“Black and white: A tale of two Hamptons brokers”
Honorable Mention: David Kaufman and Abigail Montanez, Robb Report
“Livin’ La Vida Logo”
Category 24: Best Design, Home or Shelter Magazine Gold Winner: Pete Catapano, Mansion Global, Barron’s
Judges’ Comment: This magazine shows what it’s like to live a life of luxury and gives tips on how to do it. It’s eye candy for real-estate lovers who want to read about multimillion-dollar homes and the lifestyles of the rich. A profile of a hot chef tucks in his gluten-free recipe – for a dark-chocolate tart with ganache, almond sable and olive oil gelato. The publication keeps a sense of fun, with headlines like “’Reel’ Inspiration” for a story about popular TV and movie sets influencing interior designs.
Category 25: Best Residential Real Estate - Trade Magazine Gold Winner: Stuart Elliott, The Real Deal, March 2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: Always timely, this issue of The Real Deal explains the real-estate repercussions of AI, which could mean a leaner workforce and less need for office space. Stuart Elliott and his team know how to create an interesting and lively mix of content – from the colorful “In Their Words” page of snappy quotes to its list of the top New York City brokerages by closed sales.
Silver Winner: Paige Tepping, RISMedia Real Estate, December 2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: Like a good meal, RISMedia’s Real Estate Magazine includes appetizers, main courses and desserts. Who could bypass Great Spaces, which this month looks at a
Connecticut mansion that sold for $138.83 million? And who could pass over a story about how to build a following on new platforms like Threads, an offshoot of Instagram, and BlueSky Social, the most recent project of Twitter co-founder and CEO emeritus Jack Dorsey? It also includes a timely piece on brokers being worried but not panicked over commission changes and needing to better describe the value the customer gets for the fee they’re paying.
Category 26: Best Commercial Real Estate Trade Magazine Gold Winner: Stuart Elliott, The Real Deal, May 2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: This trade magazine looks and reads like a smart, high-end consumer magazine. It delivers with panache. The stories are thoroughly reported and stylishly written. Clever headlines include “The Thomas Crow Affair,” a play on “The Thomas Crown Affair,” about the “pricey friendship” between U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Dallas real-estate legend Harlan Crowe. (His father: Trammell Crowe.) This cover tackles Texas real estate and Monty Bennett, a mogul with a Texas-size influence. Big players don’t get the kid- glove treatment. One story looks at Patrick Carroll, who allegedly spat in a restaurant manager’s face. Readers can curl up, learn and enjoy.
Silver Winner: Matt Valley, Seniors Housing Business and ASHA 50, August-September Issue
Judges’ Comment: It’s hard to imagine being in the senior housing business and not wanting to read about the 50 largest senior housing owners. Seniors Housing Business seems like a must- read for anyone in this business. It’s not just a mouthpiece for the industry. One piece talks about the need for pricing transparency. Another talks about rate increases. Vital news readers can use includes advice on how to retain staff.
Category 27: Best Real Estate Newsletter Digital or Print
Gold Winner: Glenn Demby and Heather Stone, Commercial Lease Law Insider, February
2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: This newsletter gives people in the commercial property industry specific information they’re unlikely to easily find elsewhere. It leads with electric vehicle charging stations and explains the difference between level one chargers (the slowest and mostly meant for private residences) and level three chargers (the fastest) and the pros and cons to the “site host” owning and operating the stations vs. leasing them to a third party who installs them and takes care of them. This newsletter also looks at recent, relevant court rulings – also highly relevant to people in a litigious industry.
Silver Winner: Katherine Feser, Houston Chronicle Prime Property
Judges’ Comment: In her “tight and bright” newsletter, Katherine Feser wisely ditches real-estate industry jargon and avoids wordiness. Readers can easily click on links to find out more about
anything in her short write-ups, from rising rents to growing-larger apartment. An opening-page photo – in this case, of a luxury mobile-home community -- helps draw in readers.
Bronze Winner: Glenn Demby and Heather Stone, Fair Housing Coach, February 2023 Issue
Honorable Mention: Randy Plavajka, Real Estate Capital USA Term Sheet, October 2023 Issue
Category 28: Best Newspaper Real Estate or Home Section
Gold Winner: Nikita Stewart, Editor and the Staff of The New York Times, Real Estate: the
Hamptons, Montauk and more, The New York Times, May 2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: This special section showcases the breadth and possibilities of real estate reporting. Focusing geographically on the Hamptons, the stories encompass a wide range of people, experiences and real estate issues that altogether help form an understanding of the complex ecosystem that people call “home.”
Silver Winner: Heather Halberstadt, Mansion, The Wall Street Journal, March 2023 Issue
Judges’ Comment: Mansion balances stunning visuals with solid reporting that gives readers the stories behind the pictures. The balancing act continues to readership, serving the needs of both those in the ultra-luxury real estate market and readers using the section as a way to open a window into that lifestyle.
Bronze Winner: Lois Weiss, Christopher Cameron, Christopher Bunting, Evelyn Cordon, and Anissa Lorenzi Boukourizia , Commercial Real Estate, New York Post, October 2023 Issue
Honorable Mention: Eileen McEleney Woods, Cameron Sperance, Robyn A. Friedman, Mark Philben, Vivi Smilgius, Marni Elyse Katz, Jim Morrison, John R. Ellement, Christina Poletto, and Megan Johnson, Address: Spring House Hunt, Boston Sunday Globe, April 2023 Issue
Category 29: Best Real Estate Web Site
Gold Winner: Stuart Elliott, The Real Deal
Judges’ Comment: The Real Deal website is a user-friendly platform tailored for the commercial real estate sector. Readers have immediate access to tabs highlighting trending and latest stories. The site serves as a go-to resource for major real estate markets, breaking deal news, podcasts, video content, and comprehensive data. Known for its trademark enterprise reporting and insider perspectives, TRD shines with features like “Meet NYC’s next generation of top office brokers”
and “Behind the syndicator machine targeting new investors,” and columns such as “The Weekly Dirt.”
Silver Winner: Pete Catapano, Mansion Global, Barron’s
Judges’ Comment: Mansion Global's visually captivating website entices with luxurious real estate imagery, but it offers far more depth than mere aesthetics. Behind the photos lie insightful narratives delving into property histories and market dynamics. Particularly compelling are the indulgent long-form stories, like “The Kentucky Town Where Affluent Home Buyers Find Pastoral Beauty and Large Lots,” showcasing envy-inducing estates such as a 22,369-square-foot mansion complete with a two-story wine cellar, wraparound terraces, a theater, and an outdoor spa—all for a mere $4.5 million.
Bronze Winner: Eileen McEleney Woods, Boston.com: Real Estate, Boston Globe Honorable Mention: Beth McGuire, RISMedia