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

Q&A: Is it housing discrimination if a str8 guy will not rent a gay man like me a room?

7/19/2011

Question:
My bff & I share an apartment and the lease ends next month. She asked her boyfriend if we could stay at his house (we would pay rent). He said yes but last minute reneged when he found out her roomie was a gay man (me). Is this housing discrimination?
-Homeless Will & Grace

Answer:
Hey Will,
What a creep! He was all gung-ho when he thought 2 hot gals would be parading around his house all day in see-through nighties. No wonder he was so quick to agree to this. He thought he was Jack & you two would be Janet & Chrissy…..but instead he got Janet & Chris. Oops!

Read why this is not housing discrimination in my weekly Q&A column for LOGO here.

Speaking of Three's Company (one of my all time favorites sitcoms!), did any of you see Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga's song on SNL, It's Not Gay, If It's a Three-way, where they parodied Three's Company?! Hilarious! And catchy tune too.

2 Comments

Real Estate Decor Q&A: Are Granite Countertops in or out?

7/5/2011

3 Comments

LogoTV Question: We're re-doing our kitchen. How do you feel about granite countertops?
Hermanity Answer: (Yawn) Been there, done that. They are SO over did. Give concrete or recycled glass a try. More eco & budget friendly!

Watch me enumerate with my trademark sass & sagacity the reasons why this viewer should skip granite counter tops!

Bad for mother earth
Requires too many Benjamins
Honey, that ship has sailed. Next!

What do you think? Are granite counter tops here to stay? Or have you discovered some great alternatives? Please share!

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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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Should sellers be present when a buyer visits? I dont think so boo!

5/31/2011

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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

1 Comment

Is it ok to mix business with pleasure in real estate?

5/25/2011

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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!

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Simmer Down! Your agent is nagging you for a good reason!

5/4/2011

4 Comments

QUESTION
Hello Herman, I am totally insulted that my agent won’t show me any more homes until I get pre-approved for a loan...It’s not any of her business yet. Shouldn’t we find our house first and then work on a loan? -Abbie

ANSWER
Abbie, simmer down! No need to be insulted. Everyone is being very cautious nowadays....

Read the rest of my no non-sense advice for MTV's site 365gay.

Tell me when & why your realtor nagged you!

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Should this seller listen to me or his mama for staging his S.F. loft?

4/20/2011

5 Comments

Alvin in San Francisco has a staging dilemma. Mom wants to decorate it for families....but it is a modern sleek loft!? My response may be caustic, but I say it with love. Really I do!

EXCERPT:
And if you don’t mind me saying Alvin, it’s time to stop being a mama’s boy! This is your property. You bought it. You own it. You’re selling it. You are a grown ass man who can stick up for himself.

Say, “Mom, I love you but your staging advice, albeit well intentioned, is without taste.” Go ahead, stab her in the heart!

Read the rest here.

5 Comments

Ask the Expert for LOGO: Should I Skip the Inspection?....HELL NO!

4/15/2011

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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.

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Ask The Expert: What Southwestern towns are gay friendly?

4/5/2011

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The salacious photo of the cowboys was not my doing, I promise! Logo did it!...although if that's what Southwest living is all about, I will move in a heartbeat.

Q: I miss the warmth of Florida, but I couldn’t find banking work there . I want to relocate again soon because I cannot stand Cincinnati and the cold winters here. I am considering the areas from Texas to Arizona – can you advise me on which towns both have the lowest unemployment rate and the largest GLBT population? -Doug, CT

Read my recommendations here. Do you agree?

Meanwhile, if you gotta question for me, LOGO says "Ask YOUR real estate question!"

11 Comments

Ask The Expert for LOGO: Is my new Hawaiian home eligible for the tax credit?

3/31/2011

1 Comment

Boy oh boy do I hate answering these kinds of emails! I usually like to be the bearing of good news, as everyone's favorite ball of sunshine. But alas, today I am Grumpy Guss & I gotta burst this man's bubble with bad news. Let me know if I let him down easy! Comment on the site directly here.

On a more professional note, I sometimes get asked about the effectivenesss of those federal and state tax credits. They were touted as the saving grace for the struggling real estate industry. Yet I always felt that, as well intentioned as they were, they were merely a short term band-aid solution. It certainly did not jumpstart the real estate market to recovery. It was a temporary device to artificially prop up the housing market.

Did they really think it was gonna be that easy to un-do all the subprime loans & predatory lending entrenched on Wall St?! Band-aids are for treating cuts and bruises.... not for herroraging amputated limbs!

1 Comment

Ask The Expert: ‘A new house is blocking my view – Can I do anything?’

3/22/2011

3 Comments

Hey Hermanity Fans!
Here's my latest column for LogoOnline's 365gay site. Buying a house w/ a view? It might not be there forever. Views aren't guaranteed. Read why in my new column for "Ask The Expert"

This poor guy in Long Island comes home from college to find a monstrous McMansion erected next door. Aside from being an eye-sore, it totally blocks his view! I break it down for this viewer here.

3 Comments

Ask the Expert for LOGO: We Broke up! What to do about our house?!

3/15/2011

3 Comments

My favorite video for LOGO thus far! "We Broke up! What to do about our house?" Please share with any friends heading for splitsville. With 61% of Californians getting divorced (at least once!), you can bet your bottom dollar people are going through this!

By the way, if you like my LOGO videos, do me a favor and comment on the actual site (you can log in with your facebook account if you want). The more reactions there are, the more they will let me do!

3 Comments

Ask a Real Estate Expert: We do not need our house & can not afford it. What to do?

3/8/2011

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I hope you enjoyed my video response last week for LogoOnline / 365gay.com. We are alternating between video and written response. This week will be written.

Read my latest real estate Q&A for Ask an Expert Column.

Ari and his partner bought a house during school. With graduation around the corner, one of them may get a job relocation and another may go to law school. What should they do with their house? Rent it? Sell it?

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My 1st Video for LOGO as Real Estate Expert: Should I buy property in the suburbs?

3/1/2011

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My first video for TV cable channel LOGO's website dropped tonight! I'm giddy to partake in Ask An Expert (By the way, I love the company I am keeping below!)

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7 Tips for Prospective LGBT Homeowners for 429Magazine by Herman Chan

2/28/2011

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My article for 429 Magazine about the 7 things LGBT buyers should be aware of when purchasing a home. Read it here.
1. The Right Representation
2. Vet your Agent
3. Branching out Beyond the Gayborhoods
4. Location: Better Safe than Sorry
5. Different forms of ownership
6. Downpayment dilemma
7. Get it in writing!

2 Comments

Herman is the Real Estate Expert for LOGO/MTV website 365gay.com

2/23/2011

1 Comment

Ask an Expert is a section on LogoOnline where people write in with their LGBTQ related dilemmas. I'm thrilled to share my expertise, experience and eccentric point of view about real estate on this platform. My weekly posts will alternate between written Q&A and video Q&A. I can't let these cheekbones go to waste, right?

This week's question is "How to deal with an anti-gay landlord?" Read my official answer here.

I want to share a personal story that I did not include in the article. When I was at UC Berkeley, I had an apartment that had floor to ceiling windows that faced out to Frat Row. My younger sister came to visit me one weekend from high school. She was a dancer & came to help me choreograph a show I was doing for National Coming Out Day. I was in drag rehearsing my routine in front of my sister when all of a sudden she screamed & pointed out the window. As I whipped around, I heard the entire wall of glass shatter and all I saw were shards of glass cascading all around us. We fled into another room & called the police. We huddled in a corner til they arrived.

Clearly it was a hate crime. (not to mention vandalism and assault!) I was in full drag on Frat Row, and some 'phobes were trying to cut me...literally! The policeman was not sympathetic whatsoever. "It was just a prank..there's nothing we can really do...blah blah" I felt ignored, ashamed, violated, unsafe (not to mention guilty for putting my little sister in danger & exposing her to the cruelty of the world outside her suburban cocoon). The only person who showed me any empathy was my landlord, who was very understanding and comforting. He said this was not my fault & that he respected me for being out and proud. That meant the world to an 18 yr old Herman. For every anti-gay landlord you encounter, there is a gay friendly landlord! There ARE people out there who care.

1 Comment

Q&A: Is it housing discrimination if a str8 guy will not rent a gay man like me a room?

Real Estate Decor Q&A: Are Granite Countertops in or out?

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

Should sellers be present when a buyer visits? I dont think so boo!

Is it ok to mix business with pleasure in real estate?

Simmer Down! Your agent is nagging you for a good reason!

Should this seller listen to me or his mama for staging his S.F. loft?

Ask the Expert for LOGO: Should I Skip the Inspection?....HELL NO!

Ask The Expert: What Southwestern towns are gay friendly?

Ask The Expert for LOGO: Is my new Hawaiian home eligible for the tax credit?

Ask The Expert: ‘A new house is blocking my view – Can I do anything?’

Ask the Expert for LOGO: We Broke up! What to do about our house?!

Ask a Real Estate Expert: We do not need our house & can not afford it. What to do?

My 1st Video for LOGO as Real Estate Expert: Should I buy property in the suburbs?

7 Tips for Prospective LGBT Homeowners for 429Magazine by Herman Chan

Herman is the Real Estate Expert for LOGO/MTV website 365gay.com

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