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

Real Estate Decor Q&A: Are Plastic Wood Panel Walls Rustic & Charming?

6/29/2011

Viewer Question: Should we get rid of our plastic wood panel walls?
Hermanity Answer: Yes!...unless you're filming a '70s porno

Watch my hilarious & helpful response to a LOGO TV viewer whose husband wants dark dingy plastic wood panel walls in their basement. Bless his heart, but some men are just clueless! (That's why they need us!)

Have you ever had design disagreements with your boo? How did you resolve it? Is it true what they say: Happy Wife, Happy Life?

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Real Estate In China: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Housing Crisis?

6/27/2011

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Recently, the press has sounded the alarm about China's real estate bubble. Daily Mail & Huffington Post have all covered these infamous "ghost cities," which were built as hi-rise meccas in the middle of nowhere. As mentioned in the Bloomberg video, Kangbashi, a city in Inner Mongolia, is meant to house 136 million residents. Currently, there are only 30,000 denizens!

China's Puberty

I have a theory about China's astounding economic growth & prowess. They are going through puberty! It's like they are an orphaned teenager who suddenly got a big inheritance. After strugglingly through childhood, they suddenly have a windfall of money....and they don't know what to do with it, but spend spend spend. They are old enough to make decisions on their own but are still juveniles with massive purchasing power who lack experience & foresight. Just because you can buy a McMansion at 17 yrs old, doesn't mean you should.

That is what is happening in China. Entire cities are erected in a blink of an eye. Buildings just built 20 yrs ago are razed to construct shiny gleaming new ones. It's not just speculation of the housing market that's gone bonkers. This mentaliy of an ever escalating society pervades their culture. They intend to build forever, with no regard to long term environmental and humanitarian ramifications.

We all gotta grow up sometime

Sustainability is literally a foreign concept. When you are a teenager, you think you are invincible! The world is your oyster, you've got your whole life ahead of you. Why do you need to save money? Why can't you drink Coke all day? What's wrong with maxing out my American Express with wild shopping sprees? In the short term, it's all fun and games. However, it catches up one day. Fast forward 25 years, China may find itself a bankrupt obese diabetic with lots of material things but nothing to show for it, whose denizens have been socialized to live beyond their means. (Not unlike the USA! I'm just sayin'!)

China needs to get real about its impending housing bubble. Why? Because it is merely a function of a larger societal problem: long term economic un-sustainability. Somebody please cap their allowance & give them a curfew!

What do you think about China's stratospheric economic rise? Are they just spoiled brats headed for a bubble burst? Or are they savvy adults with solid long term plans?

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Tether Ball Pole, Laundry Pole...or Something Sinister?!?!

6/25/2011

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I was showing this $936,400 foreclosure to my clients. Coveted location, built in 1937, hardwood floors, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, all seemed honky dory...until we peered into the backyard and gasped in unison!

Is it me, or does this remind you of a lynching apparatus?! Yikes! I'm sure it's nothing that sinister but it's odd how the same thought flashed through our minds! If it were my listing, I would have had it removed before hitting the market. Who wants buyers imagining what (or who) dangled on that thing!?

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Selling your apartment to a friend. Good or Bad Idea?

6/23/2011

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My latest video response for a viewer from MTV Networks LOGO's 365Gay site:

QUESTION: Should I sell my apartment to a friend?
ANSWER: Only if you can afford to lose your friendship!

Have you ever sold/bought a house from a friend? If so, how did you get through the awkward moments, like negotiations, repairs, pricing etc? Like, your friend sends you a $5,000 termite repair bill, which you swallow for the sake of your friendship. (I mean, she DID let you copy of her homework in 7th grade, so according to her, you owe her for life!).

Can business & pleasure really mix? Spill your guts. Don't hold back :-)

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The Chinese Press Spotlights 陳兆文 (aka Herman)...非常好!

6/22/2011

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One of the largest Chinese newspapers called World Journal profiled your favorite Asian Dumpling yesterday. Anyone care to translate? Ummm, didn't think so....

In a nutshell, it says I'm a model turned real estate maven, who transformed into a famous speaker and a popular social media guy with over 20,000 followers. The article also explains why I think it's an effective and affordable way to procure business. Unfortch, they printed my age! Ai-yah!

My grandparents are going to get a kick out of this. They are pretty unaware of what I do. As long as I take them to dim sum, they are happy as clams.

My next goal will be the French Press. Le Monde, peut-etre? Paris Match...ou Voici!? On verra, n'est-ce pas?

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My Guest Post for The Design File! Warming Up A Stark Space

6/21/2011

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The Design File featured my posting on How to Warm Up a Stark Black & White Space! Hooray!

"I’m pleased today to have a guest post from Herman Chan, a sort of celebrity real estate agent who writes Habitat for Hermanity. “It’s real estate with a punchline,” the site says.

Today, though, I’m featuring a post from Herman that’s more about high style than it is hilarity. He’s got some great ideas – and great photos – for warming up a stark décor."

Read more here.

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Twitter Contest for $50 Visa Gift Card. Can you ID this famous curve?

6/21/2011

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Who can identify this famous curve from my House Hunters show last nite? For chance to win $50 VISA gift card, follow me on twitter.com/hermanity and direct message me the answer (must be 18yrs+ old & and US Resident). I will randomly select the winner from my twitter DM's. Good luck guys!

Thanks for watching! I enjoyed all your tweets during the show

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Need some grocery money? Just be a REALTOR!

6/21/2011

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Need some extra gas money? Sell a home!
Being a realtor is as easy as 1-2-3! Just troll Craigslist for cheapo clients, put your name & license on the line, slave away, do ALL the work, and get paid pennies. There’s nothing to it!
Wut-evah!
Hilarity aside, this is an actual ad I pulled from Craigslist. So this is what its come to, eh? Our services, our knowledge, our expertise boils down to a measly 500 clams. AG Beat writes more about this here. Have you ever sourced a Craigslist client and lived to regret it? Or post some success stories! I wanna hear...and please tell me you were paid more than $500! :-)

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Part 2: Live Interview: Modeling Agency, Urban Loft or Art Gallery

6/19/2011

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Here's my follow-up video to last weeks blog post with Bret Cota, decor designer & owner of Exalt Agency, who decked out this loft with his trademark touch. Find out how he got a leather Gucci furniture piece for $100, why he spends the most money on magazines, and what his dream project would be!

What do you think of his work?

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Modeling Agency, Urban Loft, Art Gallery...or All the Above!

6/16/2011

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I am utterly floored by what my friend Bret Cota did to this live/work loft! This is a perfect example of how a space that serves multiple purposes can be seamlessly unified by great design. Bret operates EXALT Modeling & Talent Agency out of this live/work loft, but you would never guess it. Part office, part art installation, part photo studio, part condo, the tasteful black & white aesthetic holds the decor together. No distinction between office space, living space or art space exists. Just goes to show that when you have a strong design theme that is well executed throughout, anything is possible in a space!

Also, because the steel and concrete in lofts can appear cold, Bret uses plants, wood & animal print which add a level of warmth to what would otherwise be a sterile space. And the stark contrast between black and white is diffused by touches of earth tones (beige, browns, gray), which soften the austere sleek b/w look. Hope you enjoyed these wonderful design tips! I can't wait to feature his next project!

Thank you Billy Winters for taking these brilliant photos.

All photos by Billy Winters

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Agent Genius Vid: Why the same old speakers at Real Estate Conferences?! Yawn...

6/15/2011

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Same old, same old?
Have you been to a real estate conference in your city lately? Have you been to a real estate conference across the country lately? Have you done both and noticed that many of the speakers are the same between cities?

I may be jaded, but I can’t help but notice that there are only so many speakers being tapped for real estate conferences across the nation and have to wonder what conference organizers are thinking? Are they scared to add new speakers and talent or are they simply shilling by putting their sponsors up on stage?

Regardless of the reason, the content and speakers are getting stale at real estate conferences and I’d like to know if you have noticed it too.

Add your thoughts in the comments on AG: http://agentgenius.com/video/why-the-same-old-real-estate-conference-speakers

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My Latest Q&A for Logo: How to deal with co-workers bigoted Facebook posts?

6/14/2011

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Question: A fellow realtor posted a homophobic Facebook post. What to do? - Jason Feinman, Pennsylvania

Answer: Drop by his open house in a rainbow flag!

Read the rest of my advice column here.

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7 days til my hot new House Hunters Episode airs on HGTV!

6/13/2011

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Got a note from Producers today!
Greetings:
Your airdate is scheduled for June 20 @ 9:30PM.
Check out the link here:
I strongly suggest you check your local listings, and keep an eye on them for any possible late changes...

LET'S MAKE THE RATINGS SOAR! PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY. I SOOOO APPRECIATE IT!

TO INCENTIVIZE VIEWERSHIP, I'M GOING TO TWEET A CONTEST QUESTION ABOUT THE EPISODE AFTER IT AIRS. FOLLOW ME ON WWW.TWITTER.COM/HERMANITY TO WIN A $50 VISA GIFT CARD!

For old time's sake, the above clips was my last episode.

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Real Estate Round Up: Zsa Zsa, Weiner pics & Gang Banging Grandma

6/11/2011

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Zsa Zsa Gabor's mansion is officially up for sale. It's listed by my friend Christophe Choo, who got Zsa Zsa to reduce the asking price from a celestial $28M to a now more reasonable stratospheric $15M. Good job Chris! [ Curbed LA ]

Photos of Weiner's Queens home that was just yanked off the market. Ummm, is it me, but do all Congressmen live so pedestrian? I will be so in awe if John McCain also has Monogram pillows & baby blue walls. And more importantly, what kind of realtor leaves a blue sponge and pet food bowl in the kitchen pic?! [ Huffington Post ]
Would you take this sweet kind grandmother to be a ghetto gang banger in her golden years!? She's facing eviction b/c that's what her landlords alleges. Wouldn't be surprised she's gotta rent control unit & her landlords want her out! Tsk tsk! [ Gawker ]

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Design SOS: What new color will look best for my friends store?

6/11/2011

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I stopped by my friend Sheila Frazier's shop called Strictly Savvy. After playing around with some of her hot new merchandise (check out those phabulous earrings!), she asked me my advice about what color to paint her store's floor. She is thinking black or grey? I'm thinking a lighter color because the space is already small. Dark colors will diminish it more. All you design freaks, help a sista out! What color will make her store pop?

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Design Tip: How to Appear Hoity-Toity

6/10/2011

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If anyone has accused you of being trashy, then you better install a wall of books. It's a sure fire way to prove to those snobs you are not low class. That'll show them! Ha!

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Ask me about Real Estate...because I drive a Camry

6/10/2011

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This stuff kills me! As I was parking behind this car, my client & I looked up, read the bumper, exchanged glances...and then started cracking up!

This poor agent probably believes it was a marketing stroke of genius to emblazon the rear end of her car with such a bland call-to-action. Bless her heart for trying....I guess.

If she only knew:
Clients are snickering at her because she comes off as hokey, cheesy & corny. She might as well be hockin' Mary Kay. Real estate professionals cringe because it reeks of desperation and amaturity (yes, I just made up that word).

Besides, what does she expect someone to do upon seeing her ad? Ummm, there is no contact info. So what am I supposed to do: get outta my car, run up to her window, and knock knock knock?!

Do you think this is an effective marketing tool? Or does it make her look like a darn fool?

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Real Estate Expert: ‘Should I convert my garage into a workout room?’

6/8/2011

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It never ceases to amaze me how myopic some people are about their remodel choices. Making a home too customized to your own needs & tastes can often backfire. What adds value in your mind may in fact detract value!...as this LogoOnline (aka 365Gay) viewer finds out from me here.

What is the worst thing you've seen a garage converted into? I'd love to hear!

LogoTV showing Hermanity some love again! Thx!

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It is the Revenge of the Homeowners!

6/6/2011

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These buyers in Naples paid all cash for their house, but the clowns at Bank of America tried to foreclosure on them anyways. Even though the courts decided Bank of America was in the wrong, BofA still wouldn't pay the buyers' attorney fees (a measily $2534). So buyers brought in lawyer, moving trucks and armed deputies to try and foreclose on the local BofA branch! (More details here at AG Beat.) Hooray for those buyers! And shame on Bank of America! Tsk Tsk!

Well at least the owners didn't try to bulldoze their own house like this guy from last year. Remember this webcast?

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Debbie Gibson & Me

6/4/2011

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Debbie Gibson & me at the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation event, sponsored by Svedka Vodka.

Watch my disco video for Svedka. I was aiming for Lady Gaga, but I think it ended up more Lady BlahBlah!

It was great to come out for a good cause. There IS more to life than real estate!

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"You cant touch this!" MC Herman was in the house!

6/3/2011

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I hosted the 2nd Annual Golf Tournament for AREAA at the Lincoln Hills Golf Club. I had a fantastical time emcee-ing the dinner, showcasing the fashion show by Tiana Vega and raffling over 50 prizes (including an ipad2!). Featured guest was PGA Golf Professional Will Robins. I was offered a few golf lesson but I declined (I look horrible in plaid!)

I am honored to carry the night for such a great group of real estate professionals! Contact me to host your next event!

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Real Estate Decor Q&A: Are Plastic Wood Panel Walls Rustic & Charming?

Real Estate In China: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Housing Crisis?

China's Puberty

We all gotta grow up sometime

Tether Ball Pole, Laundry Pole...or Something Sinister?!?!

Selling your apartment to a friend. Good or Bad Idea?

The Chinese Press Spotlights 陳兆文 (aka Herman)...非常好!

My Guest Post for The Design File! Warming Up A Stark Space

Twitter Contest for $50 Visa Gift Card. Can you ID this famous curve?

Need some grocery money? Just be a REALTOR!

Part 2: Live Interview: Modeling Agency, Urban Loft or Art Gallery

Modeling Agency, Urban Loft, Art Gallery...or All the Above!

Agent Genius Vid: Why the same old speakers at Real Estate Conferences?! Yawn...

My Latest Q&A for Logo: How to deal with co-workers bigoted Facebook posts?

7 days til my hot new House Hunters Episode airs on HGTV!

Real Estate Round Up: Zsa Zsa, Weiner pics & Gang Banging Grandma

Design SOS: What new color will look best for my friends store?

Design Tip: How to Appear Hoity-Toity

Ask me about Real Estate...because I drive a Camry

Real Estate Expert: ‘Should I convert my garage into a workout room?’

It is the Revenge of the Homeowners!

Debbie Gibson & Me

"You cant touch this!" MC Herman was in the house!

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