Habitat for Hermanity: Your Real Estate Infotainment...Where Housing Hilarity Ensues! San Francisco Bay Area Realtor Herman Chan

Herman Advises Bankrate.com How to Size Up a Realtor Online

1/30/2013

Bankrate.com asked me how to vet realtors in a web 2.0 world. Read the full article How to Size Up a Real Estate Agent Online by Michael Estrin for some great tips! Some of my more memorable quotes:

"All of my clients, especially the younger ones, are very plugged in," says Herman Chan, a second-generation real estate professional in San Francisco. "That's just how the business works today. It's not like when my mom was an agent, and all you really had was advertising and word of mouth."
"If they don't have a strong online presence, they're dinosaurs," Chan says.
"Facebook and Twitter give you a sense of someone's personality," Chan says. "I don't think my clients pick me because of what they see on Facebook or Twitter, but I do think they use those sites to figure out if I'm someone they want to spend a lot of time with."

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Herman Chan on CBS: Good Time to Buy or Rent to Own?

1/26/2013

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With the market sizzling, CBS has me on this morning to talk real estate in San Francisco Hermanity-style. Enjoy!

I shoulda wore a blue tie to pop the background

news anchor Anne Makovec was so nice!

"I didnt cause the housing crash, I swear!"

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Herman Chan's Tips for 1st Time Buyers for NerdWallet.com

1/25/2013

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Read my tips on Nerd Wallet's article "3 Tips for First Time Home Buyers: Underwriting, Documentation & Non-Mortgage Costs" It's a mouthful but a lot of good advice for any buyer trying to purchase a home!

Adds real estate personality Herman Chan, “Don’t believe everything you see on the Internet – half of it is wrong or outdated. Milllenials want to do all the research on their own online, but the business is still about who you know. Work with a plugged-in, full-time real estate agent.”

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Should You Rent to Own? Herman Chan Weighs In on CNBC

1/24/2013

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I've blogged a bit about 'Rent To Own' (especially about Bravo TV Housewives Kim Zolciak & Adrienne Maloof). Glad CNBC asked me to weigh in on this phenomenon for their article Rent to Own Homes: an Option to Consider? Generally speaking, I dont' think it a great option but sometimes it can be a last resort for certain people desperate to get into a certain area. What do you think, guys? Pros/cons?

"Renting to own is also a way to get into a desired neighborhood in a timely matter, as with parents who need to be in school district for their kids, or people who are uncertain of their timeline, according to San Francisco real estate professional Herman Chan. "It's a way to get into a house without committing to a 30 year mortgage," he said."

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Prezi is Great for Listing Presentations (I'm in Their New Commercial! Check it Out!)

1/23/2013

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Don't Pee On My House & Tell Me It's Raining! Judge Judy Lists Her $9M NYC Apt!

1/21/2013

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Judge Judy's 2 bd 3000 sq ft 5th Ave apartment hits the market for $9M. unlike most shows that need a lot of editing and splicing in post-production, Judge Judy is the real deal! My producer friend Karen Needle got me into a taping of the show, and I was totally shocked that what you see is what you get. She wipes the floor clean with those litigants in 10 min flat. No re-do's, no re-takes. Amazing! She's razor sharp!

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Herman's Top 5 Asian Restaurants in San Francisco (Guest Blog Post for EatinAsian.com!)

1/15/2013

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Which restaurant is this from my Top 5 list?!

My good friend & TV Host Kimlai asked me to guest blog about my Top 5 San Francisco Asian Restos for her hit foodie blog Eatin Asian!

What do you think?! So hard to narrow down since San Francisco has more restaurants per capita than any other city in America! We eat like nobody can.

Read my full review on these delish eateries here!

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Squatters Lived Under Old Woman's House for a Year!!

1/14/2013

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Wealth Magazine Spotlights Hermanity in Winter Issue

1/10/2013

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Great write up of me in Wealth Magazine! (Full issue here)

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Rosie's Rastafari Remodel Undergoes Price Cut!

1/9/2013

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Pass Rosie some doobie! After lingering on the market, Rosie O'Donnell slashed her Miami house by $2m to $17.5M. She may be stressing out but we gotta give this lesbian credit! She got taste! It's simply GORGEOUS! Little would you know that it used to be HQ for the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, a cultish Rastafarian marijuana cartel in the 1970's!
Actually, scratch the doobie. Rosie & her boo Michelle Rounds just adopted a new baby girl. Congrats!

Do you remember Rosie as Nell Carter's neighbor in Gimme a Break?

One of my all time fav sitcoms!

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No Longer a Pocket Listing, Madonna's Beverly Hills Mansion Is Bussin' It Wide Open on the Market for $22.5M!

1/9/2013

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No photos but you know Madonna's castle is fantabulous! 9 bedrooms for her growing brood, 17,000 sq ft of renovated luxury, resort-size pool to show off that 50+ yr old hot bod & 2 guest houses for her Boy Toys. The estate has been secretly shopped around with real estate insiders for a minute, but guess no one stepped up to buy. Even the Queen of Pop had to list on MLS. (Celebs, gee they really ARE like us!).No pix exist publicly (save aeriel shot). We'll have to settle for Madonna's first place; her modest childhood house (left pic). Miss Ciconne has come a long way!

We also reported last November that Miss MDNA hoisted her NYC pad on the market for $23M. Why is our Material Girl downsizing? Dang, we never in a million years thought she'd pull a BabyBoomer move?! Girlfriend, we ain't gonna let you join the AARP just yet! No way!

Michigan house where Madonna grew up!

Madonna's Beverly Hills Castle hits the market

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OMG Decor Juggernaut Crate & Barrel Pimps Out Gay Men to Hock Their Goods! ("Nibble Bowl", "Spreader"...Say What?!)

1/8/2013

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JC Penney and GAP have recently launched campaigns prominently featuring the gays. But I think this is the first time a large retailer has gone so far! See below the romantical pic of 2 guys on a date "Saturday night at home, cooking together, dining together" next to 2 items called Olivewood Nibble Bowl and Spreader! LOL!! This is straight off the Crate & Barrel website, see here! Intentional or not, kudos to them for some major LGBTQ representation!

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We Don't Wanna Be a Hater (Cuz We Ain't Like That) But Can You Believe This Agent's Pic of a $995k Listing in SF?!

1/7/2013

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Somebody needs to have a talk with this agent! Seller should be ticked off too! Unless you are marketing to a hoarder, cluttered blurry pix are not a selling point! This is a $995k property, not a 99 cent junkyard

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Feds Forced Madoff's Brother to Sell $4.6M NYC Apt...And He's Fighting to Keep Furniture. What Nerve!

1/7/2013

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Bernie Madoff's brother Peter is going to jail for being a part of the biggest ponzi scheme in recent history. The government sold this NYC 2bd apartment for $4.6M to an attorney from Chicago. Apparently Peter and his wife were trying to keep the furniture and assets in the apartment. Geez, don't these people have any sense? You're doing to the slammer and you're obsessing over your dining room set!?

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SF Ladies, If You Value Your Marriage, Avoid These Adulterous Neighborhoods!

1/7/2013

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Ashley Madison, the infamous hook up site for married people seeking affairs, posted the top 10 cheating neighborhoods in San Francisco. SF Weekly reports: "San Francisco is a great place to have an extramarital affair, especially in the wealthy enclaves of the city, where you are most likely to find a cheating spouse". Hoity Toity Pac Heights, Fidi, & Marina Districts lead the pack. But you can't just blame the men. I know a whole lotta females who vulture these 'hoods hoping to marry up too! Just sayin'

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We're Gonna Pray For San Francisco. They Started Charging Metered Parking...on the Sabbath?!

1/5/2013

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Touring Sunday open homes in a congested city like San Francisco is already hard enough, but it's gonna get worse! Realtors, make sure you load up on coins before you pick up your client on Sunday b/c SF is charging for parking meters on Sunday now! Tip download the app Pay By Phone so you can pay via your phone/ipad and even add more money/time remotely. So useful!

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My Dinnerware Setting Tips for USA TODAY Home Magazine

1/3/2013

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In case you missed it last month, I'm in USA Today's Home Magazine. Finally, I got my hands on the tearsheets today so I'm happy to share with you guys! Tips are about holiday settings but my tips still hold true through out the year. I dunno how to cook but I know how to make table look pretty! Happy 2013!

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SF & Oakland in Top 10 Highest 2012 Rent Hikes in Nation. What?! Oakland's Increased Twice as Much as SF!

1/3/2013

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Harking back to SF Bay Guardians cover story last year, maybe it's true! CNN Money ranked the top 10 cities with the highest rent jumps. No surprise, SF made the list (duh) w/ a 5.8% bump. But not only did Oakland make it , but rate of rent increase zoomed past SF by 11.6%! Who the heck can afford SF now? Average rent for 1 bd in SoMa is $3000/mo.

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Bank Of America Denies Loan to Lesbians 1 Day Before Closing! Dang, That's Cold. They Gonna Pay!

1/2/2013

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Two lesbians in Florida sued Bank of America because they denied them a loan just because they are not legally married. Per the Dept of Housing & Urban Development, that's straight up discriminational! Now BofA has to pay them...a measly $7,500 in fines!....That's it?! That's not even a slap on wrist. More like a tickle!

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Herman Advises Bankrate.com How to Size Up a Realtor Online

Herman Chan on CBS: Good Time to Buy or Rent to Own?

Herman Chan's Tips for 1st Time Buyers for NerdWallet.com

Should You Rent to Own? Herman Chan Weighs In on CNBC

Prezi is Great for Listing Presentations (I'm in Their New Commercial! Check it Out!)

Don't Pee On My House & Tell Me It's Raining! Judge Judy Lists Her $9M NYC Apt!

Herman's Top 5 Asian Restaurants in San Francisco (Guest Blog Post for EatinAsian.com!)

Squatters Lived Under Old Woman's House for a Year!!

Wealth Magazine Spotlights Hermanity in Winter Issue

Rosie's Rastafari Remodel Undergoes Price Cut!

No Longer a Pocket Listing, Madonna's Beverly Hills Mansion Is Bussin' It Wide Open on the Market for $22.5M!

OMG Decor Juggernaut Crate & Barrel Pimps Out Gay Men to Hock Their Goods! ("Nibble Bowl", "Spreader"...Say What?!)

We Don't Wanna Be a Hater (Cuz We Ain't Like That) But Can You Believe This Agent's Pic of a $995k Listing in SF?!

Feds Forced Madoff's Brother to Sell $4.6M NYC Apt...And He's Fighting to Keep Furniture. What Nerve!

SF Ladies, If You Value Your Marriage, Avoid These Adulterous Neighborhoods!

We're Gonna Pray For San Francisco. They Started Charging Metered Parking...on the Sabbath?!

My Dinnerware Setting Tips for USA TODAY Home Magazine

SF & Oakland in Top 10 Highest 2012 Rent Hikes in Nation. What?! Oakland's Increased Twice as Much as SF!

Bank Of America Denies Loan to Lesbians 1 Day Before Closing! Dang, That's Cold. They Gonna Pay!

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