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Sotheby's International Realty and Herman Chan Join Forces! 

1/16/2014

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San Francisco Real Estate Broker Sotheby's International Realty Condos, SFR, Townhomes, Estates, Luxury
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American Express Tips for Online Marketing (featuring Herman Chan!)

2/14/2013

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American Express' Open Forum cited me in their top 7 ways to inject humor into your marketing, which got reposted in Mashable! What are your top tips?
Ready to up the fun factor? Here are seven ways to inject some humor into your marketing.

1. Deliver data with a punchline. Real estate broker Herman Chan created a video blog about real estate and design called “Habitat for Hermanity” that pokes fun at the real estate business while empowering buyers and sellers with behind-the-scene tips and secrets of the industry. Chan shoots and edits most of the videos himself using his iPhone and believes the blog makes him “memorable amongst a sea of boring realtors.”

According to Chan, “Younger generations have been socialized to receive info via humor. My clients don’t watch “20/20″ or “Nightline” for news, they watch Colbert and Jon Stewart. They want data delivered with a punch line.”

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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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Talk about Truth In Advertising! It Works!! 

7/18/2012

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This creative for-sale sign has gone viral! The whole world is talking about this Oregon woman who used the fact that her hubby left her for a 22 yr old yoga gal to her advantage to market her house. What I love about this story is that she just told the truth. She is being honest. And THAT is why it has taken the internet by storm. Not because she is some savvy marketer with a unique sales pitch. Plus, a dose of humor & her self-deprecation helped a lot too! Check out her story, pix of her house and more here: www.greatfamilyhome.com.  Good Luck Elle! I'm rootin' for ya!
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$35M Listing Gets Hollywood Trailer Treatment

7/14/2012

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The rich lady who owns this $35M mansion in Malibu went all out to get her listing noticed! She hired a Hollywood crew to produce this gorgeous movie trailer...but will it sell her house? The video apparently is being only sent to specific potential buyers on gift-wrapped ipads! Wow! I'd love to be on that shortlist. 
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Herman's Quick Decorating Tips to Sell Your Home for eHow.com!

2/3/2012

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With winter slowly melting away, eHow asked me to do a quick vlog for sellers who are prepping their homes for the traditional high season in real estate: Spring & Summer! De-clutter, de-personalize, stage & match your decor with your house style. Good luck! 

 


Decorating to Sell Your Home -- powered by ehow
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How to Promote Yourself as a Real Estate Agent

1/5/2012

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According to the National Association of Realtor's latest info from Oct 2011, there are 1,024,669 Realtors in the United States.  Seems like a substantial number but let's not kid ourselves folks! A lot of these peeps are part timers. And many of these are older agents trying to catch up to real estate in 2012. (Average age of a realtor is 56, while the average home buyer is 31.)   It's often quoted amongst us real estate professionals that 80% of the business is done by 20% of the agents. If you happen to be that 20%, then good for you. You may skip this video!  

But if you are just eking out a living in real estate, you wanna promote yourself differently in 2012.  Ditch those cheesy calendars & tacky magnets. I've never heard of a seller who decided to list their house with an agent because they found her name on a Safeway shopping cart (aka "cartvertising"...yes, it's a real thing!).  Watch my new video for eHow for some promotion suggestions.   It's a new year, try something new!

Stop moonlighting at other jobs to make ends meet. Commit to going full force hocking homes! I know you can do it! Have a prosperous exciting 2012! 

How to Promote Yourself as a Real Estate Agent -- powered by ehow
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Real Estate Agents Who Plaster Their Car With Themselves!

12/8/2011

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My NYC friend Rebecca just snapped this hilarious pic for me. I just can't stop giggling!
  1. Honestly, why stop at a car? Why not just paint your whole damn house with your mug and website address?!
  2. If were a client, I would NOT feel comfortable stepping into this car! Clearly, it's all about her...and it should be all about me.
  3. She's got 2, count em 2 photos of herself....that we can see. I'll bet my bottom maxi-pad there's 1 on the right side, front bumper AND the roof! If her upholstery is also her face, I will flip out!
  4. Even more disconcerting is she's got lipstick on in 1 pic, but not the other. (yes, I notice these things!)
  5. She best not tick anyone off at her open house. Or else, she is just begging for someone to draw her a mustache! 

What do you guys think of agents who do this? Egomaniacs? Or savvy marketers? 

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

4/20/2011

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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.

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Secret to Selling Listings: Real Estate Porn

11/13/2010

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Nowadays, in this economy, to sell a listing you've got to be a pornographer. Sell that fantasy! Buyers are visual creatures!  As my fellow agent & real estate TV Host of 365 Realtor  Nicole Martin loves to joke:  "Real estate is the finest form of prostitution."  LOL! 

Am I being salacious to just get more web hits? Hell yeah.   Hey, if the revered Inman News can do it, so can I! Here is their article published yesterday  titled "Selling House Porn to Gen X & Y" by Candy Evans. Selling homes is like selling sex, indeed...not that I would know.

XXX...er, i mean, xoxo,
Herman
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Keep your real estate headshot updated & fresh!

9/21/2010

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Outdated headshot = Outdated business.  You are the face of your business, so get real photoshoot  with a local photographer. FYI: glamour shots and Sears booth do not count!
PS: I just had mine shot by longtime friend and nationally published photographer Billy Winters. 
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Alleged Agent Specializations do not mean jack!

8/9/2010

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Why do some  real estate agents have some many darn acronyms after their names?....and frankly, does anyone really care?!
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Less is More! Do nott Over-Accessorize your House!

7/31/2010

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Find out why over accessorizing is a no-no for outfits AND your home decor!
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Call for Price?

7/9/2010

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Some realtors put "Call for Price" on their advertisements!  Are they hiding something or just creating buzz?
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Strangers Sitting on your Realtors Face?

5/30/2010

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Does your realtor get business by having people sit on their face?
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I smell carbs!

3/24/2010

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Does baking cookies before an open house make buyers feel warm & cozy? Not! 
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Do not fall for the Bait & Switch

3/1/2010

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Be mindful of fake listings that lure buyers to call realtors.
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Real Estate Ads: Acronyms Galore!

3/1/2010

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Abbreviations in Real Estate Ads can be so confusing! Here's an example
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Price to Entice

3/1/2010

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Have you been teased by a listing that's priced to enticed?
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Have you been duped by Real Estate Ads?

3/1/2010

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We've all been fooled by glowing Real Estate Ads that stretch the truth. Here's an example! 
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