 I blogged last September about my friend Adam's company ClearHouse which offers un-biased pre-inspections. I'm a huge advocate of knowing the condition of a property upfront. It can save a deal from painful surprises & tense negotiations mid-transaction! In 5 months, ClearHouse was not only written up on AGbeat.com ("ClearHouse adds transparency to home inspections, improves process"), but made their top 60 Genius Brands to Watch in 2012. And now they have just given a clean crisp make-over to their website with new videos and FAQ! Check it out. Kudos! Add Comment  What with the job market so tough and the ever increasing cost of living, how do you kids afford to buy a home? It's darn near impossible, unless you scrimp and save through your 20's (who wants to live off Top Ramen?), or live w/ parents to save on rent (Social/sex life tanks!) or if you're a trust fund baby (Jealous!). CNN Money spotlights 5 scenarios where parents help kids buy homes, ranging from paying out right in cash to lending money to their kids interest free. I've noticed this trend in the market, especially in more pricey areas like San Francisco, whose average sales prices is near $700k. Do you think this is a function of Baby Boomer spoiling adults kids? Or wise investment decision for their kids?  The rental market is on fire! Many homeowners got burned from the foreclosure crisis, so now they would just rather rent. Lots of Millenials can't find a good paying job to buy a house, so they have to rent. And people in general have lost faith in the value of owning a home. Don't have to be brain surgeon to see we've become Generation Rent! If you are on the prowl for rental property, now is the time to jump into. Due to the aforementioned factors, rents are rising as demand for rentals increase. Owning rental property can be advantageous, but it can also be a headache, especially with tenants. Read my new article on Yahoo! Finance: How I Avoid Common Problems With My Tenants. You'll be chummy with your renters like Mr. Furley before you know it! 
What a great interview with the Epoch Times! Since their readership is primarily Chinese, they asked me about social media as it relates to real estate to the Asian market. I said that culturally Asian clients tend to be private low-key and it goes against their tendency to overly share...but sharing is the whole premise of social media. It is important for Asian agents and clients to remain open to receiving and dispersing information this way to stay on top of the ever changing market We also discussed the importance weighing all factors in buying and selling a property. A good neighborhood does not guarantee a sale. Nor does a perfect condition home. With buyers being so picky (and especially with all cash buyers and/investors from Asia), it's got to be a great area, turn key condition, and attractive price for them to pull the trigger. Otherwise, they'll pass & wait for another good buy to hit. Oh, can I just say this is my new favorite portrait! The lines, color, lighting and my hair are epic! 謝謝 to photographer Will Taylor for making me prettier than I really am. (It's no surprise he shot with world famous photographer David LaChapelle this summer!) If any of you deal with Asian clients, what has your experience been like? Let's compare notes!  This may ruffle some feathers in realtor circles, but hey, that's never stopped me before! How many times have you heard an agent proclaim to much fanfare that they are an Area Specialist? When I hear that, I can't help but roll my eyes. Read why in my latest column for Agent Genius Local expertise is good, right? There is something to be said about local knowledge, but honestly folks, isn’t the term “Area Specialist” just a marketing angle for some agents? These self-anointed neighborhood experts brand themselves out the wazoo to their farm. To drum up business, they talk up how they know this zip code like the back of their hand, how they know every nook & cranny within a five block radius, how they are the go-to agent for all the locals, blah blah blah. They live, breath & reproduce in that neighborhood! OK, I get it. For some agents, that is their hook, which is fine and dandy. Everyone’s got their schtick. But, how many times have you seen a self-dubbed “Area Specialist” get riled up for you taking a listing in “their” farm? They get possessive about anyone stepping onto “their” turf. (Excuse me, I don’t see your name on street sign!) And yet despite their PR about the importance of working with an Area Specialist, they’ll snap up a listing across town without batting an eyelash. It just comes off to me as a sales gimmick, a mere marketing ploy. Because if they practiced what they preached, then they wouldn’t take that listing outside their area. You can’t have it both ways, folks! The inherent problem Ergo, that’s the inherent problem with labeling yourself an “Area Specialist.” You convince a buyer to work with you because you know the area the best. But what if their search ends up in a neighborhood clear across town? Your cred is shot. Based on your logic, they should no longer work with you. Are you really going to give up the last six months of work you put in? Doubt it. On the listing side, I don’t know a single Area Specialist who’d turn down a million dollar property because it is outside their geographic bubble (all of a sudden they aren’t an “Area Specialist,” they’re a “Luxury Specialist”). My point is that agents who flagrantly label themselves as Area Specialists run the danger of painting themselves into a corner. They end up looking like hypocrites the second they do business outside their area. Am I wrong? If you can stomach anymore, my other articles for Agent Genius can be found here. Enjoy!  LogoTV viewer writes to Hermanity: QUESTION: The house we're buying has chimney damage. My agent says we should focus on our loan instead? Is that right? ANSWER: Yikes, your agent just wants to sweep the chimney under the rug & focus on his commission! Watch my video for the 3 steps you need to take ASAP! Remember guys, you are the client. Your agent is supposed to always have your back & protect your best interests. A great realtors does what is right for you, not for their wallet! Have you come across any agents who were looking out for themselves more than you? Vent here!  Wow! That hour just flew by! What a blast being interviewed by Priscilla Leona, host of entertainment talk show Question Reality! With past celeb guests like pop star Ari Gold & Project Runway's Jack Mackenroth it's no wonder there is 6 month wait list for her show. In our informative & campy chat, we discuss the real estate & entertainment industries: *Will Herman be the next host for Property Virgins on HGTV? *Are the agents on Bravo's Million Dollar Listing any better than us normal agents? *If you're an actor/model, can you juggle a real estate career part time? Listen to the full interview here! Did you learn anything? LMK!  Ever come across a helicopter seller? Hovers over you in each room, chirps in your ear non-stop , praises their house to high heaven? Give it a rest! Q: Whenever a buyer makes a private appointment to see my house, I make sure I am there to answer all their questions. After all, I know my house better than anyone! Well, a buyer asked for a second visit, but he just wants himself and his agent there and not me. What is up with that?! -Jonah A: Sometimes a seller and buyer will meet briefly during a showing – but personally, I prefer they don’t! Read the rest of my sassy sage advice here   Depending on who you ask, mixing business with pleasure is sometimes called networking....and sometimes it is called a train wreck! There are definite pros and cons to using a friend for business. Read my advice column for this reader on 365gay LogoTV Online. Question: For our loan, should we use our banker down the street? We’ve known him for years so we trust him. But should we still shop around? – Jillian in Alabama Have any of your friendships soured over a business deal? Let me know. Gimme the gossip! This is a commonly asked question I get from buyers, and I am sooooo glad I got a chance to answer this for LOGO's viewers. VIEWER QUESTION: We're buying a new construction house. Do we still need to do an inspection? HERMANITY ANSWER: I don't get this. People are willing to spend 1/2 a million bucks for a house, but can't bear to spend couple hundred dollars for an inspection. It's small price to pay for peace of mind folks.... Want to learn how an inspection can get you more from the builder/developer? Watch til the end of my clip for my hot tip! Have you ever waived an inspection and lived to regret it? Post your comments here or on LOGO's site here. | As Seen On ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll Blogroll
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