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Time Out

The Future of Real Estate (And Life) Is Happily Looking Remote

March 26, 2020 | 10:37 am | Favorites |

With many Americans living under self-quarantine, the future of housing and office space will experience radical change. Here are some random thoughts about life after coronavirusappoccalypse:


The Man-Bun will make a big comeback due to the inability to get a haircut

There will be so much toilet paper to appear on store shelves that it will take years to use it up and toilet paper production-related employment will be bleak

Consumers will not regret hoarding toilet paper but will refuse to admit it in public

With everyone frustrated about being housebound, they will plot and plan to buy or rent a larger home as soon as this crisis is over

Buy a new refrigerator after burning out the refrigeration unit with thousands of sustained door-opens

A surge in the stock prices of Jenny Craig and WW

Gyms will see a new revival (see ‘Jenny Craig’)

People will discover they actually like to walk every day to clear their mind

Many people will begin to use Zoom.us every day and discover they like to see their friends and relatives faces when chatting – even in HD

Universities will incorrectly believe that students will want to learn remotely when really all they want to do it party in the dorms

Employees will decide they hate the time wasted on the commute even more because it is not completely necessary

Americans will love sleeping in until 8:30 am permanently changing the 9-5 standard to 10-6

Podcast usage will become a bigger thing than it ever was (see ‘walk every day’)

People will rush to cut their cable service after enduring endless hours, watching mindless cable shows, for reasons they can’t explain, but did realize being permanently pissed off was exhausting and unnecessary

The difference between weekends and weekdays will suddenly be thrust back into our daily lives and we’ll hate it despite the dated conventional wisdom that we should keep our personal and business lives separate (see ‘walk every day’)

The divorce rate will skyrocket as couples actually discover their real partner in close quarters

Parents will completely shed their ‘put their kids on the couch to watch tv’ shame as they consider how many episodes of Gilligan’s Island they have watched

Commercial real estate will never be the same again as millions of employees worked remotely and companies realized it wasn’t that big a deal


UPDATES

There will be a new generation classification known as Baby Boom II beginning nine months from now – ok, boomer? (see ‘divorce’)

Uncomfortable chairs will no longer be tolerated as Herman Miller Aeron Chairs will be the only office chairs made worldwide


I’ve seen the future, and it is good. -Beavis & Butthead

Other insights welcomed.


‘My First Apartment” Podcast by Localize.city: Jonathan Miller, CEO at Miller Samuel

October 25, 2019 | 10:25 am | Podcasts |

I had a fun discussion about something I hadn’t given much thought to in a long time with Aaron Ghitelman of Localize: my first apartment.

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Miller Samuel turned 29 today

October 1, 2015 | 2:43 pm | Milestones |

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Hard to believe we’ve been around so long.

I personally feel about 29 years old (maturity of a 19 year old, obviously) yet after we published our Manhattan report today that cited 26 year record highs, the math places me a bit older than 29. My birthday was yesterday (I’m still milking that day for all I can) and our company’s birthday is today. We launched in 1986, working in our apartments and communicating via fax machines, buying Macintosh Plus computers, creating our own appraisal software, using bar code scanners, Scantron readers, tape measures, measuring wheels, sonic measuring devices, laser measuring devices and beepers. It’s been a surprisingly fun but difficult journey.


An Honest Appraisal – Some Personal Background Including My Favorite Color and Love of Yo-Yos

July 30, 2015 | 9:59 am | Articles |

A while back, Kim Velsey at New York Observer reached out and thought it would be interesting to do a profile on me. Who wouldn’t like to talk about themselves for hours? What an opportunity! LOL. Uh, Yes?

We met and she proceeded to “drain my soul” as I am fond of saying – by the end of the interview my head was spinning and I wasn’t quite sure what I had said or if I would look foolish (the sign of a good interviewer). I was also getting a little worried when I started hearing through the grapevine who she was reaching out to – in other words, this was an actual, real interview profile thing!

It turned out to be a fun, extensive, and detailed read that captured a very fair and accurate picture of me for which I am very grateful (and relieved).

Jonathan Miller Is the Most Trusted (and Quoted) Man in New York Real Estate An Honest Appraisal by Kim Velsey July 29, 2015

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[Video] Ladies and Gentlemen, We Apologize For The Unavoidable Delay…

July 19, 2015 | 11:56 am |

I’ve been interviewed by Charlie Pellet of Bloomberg Radio a few times and have thought to myself, “His voice sounds really familiar.” Here’s this short video from The New Yorker that shows why.

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Miller Samuel Turns 28

October 1, 2014 | 6:44 pm |

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It’s hard to comprehend we launched our residential appraisal and consulting practice 28 years ago TODAY. It was before…

  • appraiser licensing.
  • co-ops were public record.
  • real market reports.
  • Bryant Park was safe to walk through during the day.
  • graffiti was removed from the subway system.
  • Derek Jeter joined the Yankees.
  • McDonalds in Manhattan were commonplace.
  • $10k per square foot.

Billions in valuations later…it’s still fun.

Tomorrow we get working on year 29.

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Nathan Pyle’s NYC Basic Tips & Etiquette Book Is Like A Diagonally Cut Sandwich

May 4, 2014 | 6:04 pm | Books |

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[Source: Buzzfeed]

My friend Nathan Pyle, author of the best selling NYC Basic Tips & Etiquette Book is now embarked on a new journey as the graphics guy at Buzzfeed.

Don’t forget to buy his book so he can continue to be inspired to give us these types of insights.

My personal favorite:
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But there are so many more to learn from…

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Nathan Pyle’s NYC Basic Tips & Etiquette Book Tour Captures Hearts & Minds

April 25, 2014 | 10:23 am | Books |

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My friend Nathan Pyle‘s book NYC Basic Tips & Etiquette is selling out at The Strand and is hovering at around #100± on Amazon overall, #1 in travel and #1 in comics. He’s so modest that he doesn’t realize how amazing it is to have Harper Collins/William Morrow behind the marketing – and they approached him! Even cooler that he gave my wife and I a shoutout in the book!

Here’s the book saga timeline (ie Facebook page).

Here’s a fun interview on CBS 2 New York TV:

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Nathan Pyle’s NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette Book Now Available!

April 16, 2014 | 11:13 pm | Books |

SMALL_COVER_d My friend Nathan Pyle has penned a book: NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette that should be required reading, well at least required viewing for:

  • anyone living in NYC, or
  • anyone planning to visit NYC, or
  • anyone who’s ever read anything about NYC, or
  • anyone who hasn’t thought about going to NYC someday, or
  • anyone not planning to visit NYC, or
  • anyone who’s never read anything about NYC, or
  • well, anyone.

You get what I mean. This book is clearly for everyone.

THREE_OPTIONS

You can check it on on his Facebook page or actually buy it on Amazon.

He’s come a long way from making selfie-videos of his basketball dunking prowess. I’ve long been a fan of his art. Nathan combines nice Midwestern sensibilities (he’s from Ohio) with street smarts, artistic talent and a dab of humor.

In fact Nathan’s only shortcoming is his siding with the “GIF” (Graphics Interchange Format) pronunciation camp while I am squarely in the “Sounds like “Jif” as in the peanut butter AND confirmed by the inventor of the “GIF” camp who said, and I quote:

“It’s pronounced JIF, not GIF.”

And the word is getting out, in newspapers, an AMA on Reddit on radio/podcast, etc.

Here are a few samples, I plan to revisit his artwork over the next few weeks. The book even provides instructions on where to eat pizza on a busy sidewalk!!! C’mon people, the value add for that alone is worth well above the very modest price! Here are a few samples…

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My New Book “Flash Appraisals” Just Passed Michael Lewis

April 1, 2014 | 2:38 pm | |

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Coverage of my new book “Flash Appraisals” just passed Michael Lewis’ “Flash Boys” as “Most Read” on Bloomberg Worldwide.

Ok, ok, admittedly a lame attempt at April Fools’ Day humor….but if I wrote a book…

More importantly, Bloomberg News coverage of our recently released Manhattan market report for Douglas Elliman jumped into 4th place and passed the coverage of Michael Lewis’ new book (8th place) – I’m halfway through his book and it’s a fantastic read – so is Oshrat Carmiel’s article.

The market report article has been the number 1 most emailed article all day. Apparently real estate remains the backyard bbq conversation not unlike rigged high speed trading on Wall Street.

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Why I Love New York, Notify NYC Edition

March 26, 2014 | 1:57 pm |

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[click to open Notify NYC web site.]

NYC is never boring.

From: Notify NYC
Subject: Notify NYC – Notification
Date: March 26, 2014 at 1:11:07 PM EDT
To: Jonathan Miller

Notification issued 3/26/14 at 1:09 PM. On Thursday, March 27, the filming of a TV series will simulate the aftermath of a crime scene throughout the day in the vicinity of Sixth Ave between West 30th and West 31st Street in Manhattan. Included in the simulated activity will be emergency response vehicles and actors dressed as law enforcement officers interacting with the PATH train entrance. NYPD will be on site.

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Weekend Reset: How To Be Creative

March 23, 2014 | 3:48 pm |

John Cleese, Monty Python Icon, on How to Be Creative

While this 1991 video doesn’t really fit into the general theme of Matrix, it simply isn’t what you think it is – and you don’t need to be a Monty Python Fan.

Get into “open mode” from “closed mode” by getting some quiet time and watching this clip when you get a chance.

UPDATE

Barry Ritholtz over at The Big Picture shared a more recent and shorter version of the speech.

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