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"The Entertaining Realtor" Herman Chan on The Massive Abundance Entrepreneur Show! 

8/13/2014

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One of my favorite interviews this year! Host Chris Stafford pecked my brain during his show for entrepreneurs called Massive Abundance. What mistake did I make with Yelp!? If I were new agent with just $1000, what would I do? And more secrets to my success! 


Chris also speaks around the country like me, so it meant a lot to me that he writes: 
I interviewed the "entertainer" Realtor, Herman Chan.  Man, this guy is filled with so much energy and enthusiasm. 
 
And he found a niche marketing as a top producing Realtor being on TV shows, in newspapers, etc.  Great way to think outside the box!
 
Check out the interview here!   And leave a comment as well!


CHRIS STAFFORD
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Niche Interiors Interview Herman Chan about SF Luxury Homes 

8/13/2014

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Niche Interiors sits down with Herman Chan to pick his brain the San Francisco Luxury Real Estate and Design Market! Find out the answers these pressing questions on their site! 


  • What are the biggest mistakes you see on the exterior of luxury homes on the market?
  • What are the top three things homeowners can do to make the best first impression?
  • Would you recommend the same improvements in Pacific Heights as you would in Noe Valley, Piedmont or Palo Alto? Are there regional trends sellers should pay attention to? 

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How to Pick Right Realtor: Follow Your Instinct. If They're Too Slick, Run! Find One Who Tells It Like It Is! (Herman Chan for US News & World Report)

5/28/2014

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US News & World Reports asked me for advice on selecting a real estate agent. My favorite quotes from the article:
COMMUNICATION:
Communication is especially important for buyers house-hunting from afar. Chan has clients in London or Asia who communicate with him via Gchat or FaceTime. He’ll also record tours of potential properties and upload the videos to YouTube with a private link.
POINT OF CONTACT:
Also ask who will be your main point of contact, because some busy real estate agents use a team of assistants or sub-agents to handle day-to-day tasks, and you may not have direct access to the agent you choose. "Maybe some people don't care, but I think that's an important question to ask," Chan says.
FOLLOW YOUR GUT
These questions can help you get a sense of the agent’s process and personality, but the right decision may depend on your instinctive reaction. "Follow your intuition," Chan says. "If they feel too slick, it's not a good sign. It’s a good sign when you find an agent who can tell it like it is."
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Herman Chan: The Tech Savvy Real Estate Broker uses DocuSign

1/30/2014

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You might remember I posted this fantastical image on my Instagram (@hermanity) of the Docusign office in San Francisco earlier this month. I can now reveal Docusign invited me to their swank new San Francisco HQ to chat about how I use Docusign , especially with Google Drive. The feature just went live on their site! Check it out! 

Seriously folks, if your Realtor doesn't offer Docusign to you, they are doing you wrong! It'll change your life. When they need your signature ASAP (which is like always!), no more scrambling around for a printer, finding a scanner, or  god forbid using a fax! It's all electronic, paperless & mobile!
Herman Chan Real Estate broker agent docusign google drive san francisco tech savvy
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Herman Chan of LuxSFHomes.com is a technology savvy pioneer and personality in the real estate industry. He does business faster, better, and more efficiently with the use of technology and has no plans to stop. He arms himself with the tools and software to most effectively do his job while on the move. Considering the multiple documents needed for the modern real estate transaction, Herman knows it's a no-brainer to go green and mobile.  DocuSigning helps him do just that.

Often found with his iPad or Mac, Herman is capable of selling any property at any moment. Interested buyers? Herman uses DocuSign for Google Drive to easily and quickly send disclosure packets without having to ever print a single page. Sellers want to list their mansion on the spot? No problem. Herman uses DocuSign Ink on his tablet to capture the sellers' signatures right there in order to close the deal in-person without leaving the property. 

Herman encourages current and future real estate agents to embrace DocuSign. Not only does it save time but also it saves deals. Last year, on a road trip to Los Angeles, he received an urgent call (Hands-free of course) from his Berkeley buyer. She saw a hot property at an open house, but offers were due in an hour!  Any delay would have cost his client her dream home. Without skipping a beat, Herman quickly pulled over, whipped out his iPad and sent his client the paperwork to DocuSign. Within minutes she DocuSigned the offer and shortly after, the sellers accepted the offer. SOLD! Thanks to DocuSign. 

Follow Herman and get great tips on his real estate Info-tainment site at http://www.habitatforhermanity.com/

DocuSign for Google Drive: The easiest and quickest way to get your documents signed

New customers and existing free and trial users of DocuSign are eligible to Save $50/user on our annual plans* when purchasing for up to 10 users on DocuSign.com with promo code DIGITAL50. Offer Code good until Jan 31st. *Discount not available for the DocuSign individual plan

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NASDAQ Quotes Herman Chan on Ways Buyers Overpay

1/14/2014

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A bunch of my tips made it onto the NASDAQ! Read the full article:  7 Ways Home buyers Overpay. 
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Here are my fav pieces of advice! 

"First-time homebuyers, as well as those looking in a hot market, are susceptible to overpaying because they have a hard time exercising discipline when it comes to price, according to Herman Chan, a real estate broker in San Francisco.

"Any buyer can make a mistake, and if they don't keep a level head, that mistake can end up costing them a lot of money," Chan says.

"It's easy to get caught up in frenzy of an open house," Chan says. "With people jam-packed like sardines acting like piranhas, it brings out the competitive nature in all of us, and it's all too easy to end up overpaying because of the hype."

More here! 





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7 Home-Seller To-Do's Before Hiring Agent (Herman's Tips for Bankrate.com)

1/10/2014

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Spring season is around the  corner! If you are an owner, you what that means: you are thinking of putting your home on the market.  But before you do , check out my tips on Bankrate.com! Avoid those costly boo-boo's before taking to a Realtor. 
From Bankrate.com 
When you sell your home, you'll likely get an earful of advice about finding the right agent. You're less likely to hear what you should do before your first meeting with that agent. If you don't prepare, you could suffer financial consequences, according to Herman Chan, a real estate broker in San Francisco.

"Anything you can do to make (the agent's) job easier is going to benefit you during the process and when sale time comes," Chan says. "What's important to remember is that you're mostly likely going to be working very closely with this person on a very big transaction, so it's a good idea to be prepared and ready to provide them with as much information as possible right off the bat."

Here are seven things the seller needs to do before contacting and hiring a real estate agent.

Read more: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/to-do-before-hiring-agent-1.aspx#ixzz2pzXQOjEP 

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Super Agents Live Talk Show Debuts with Herman Chan & "Millionaire Real Estate Agent" Author Dave Jenks! 

12/20/2013

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herman chan super agents live real estate internet celebrity
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NY Times best selling author Dave Jenks ("Millionaire Real Estate Agent") and I are the 1st  interviews for Super Agents Live Talk Show. Listen to how I got started (hint: it had nothing to do with real estate!) and how you can too! 
Herman Chan is a speaker, trainer and real estate internet celebrity.  In this episode Herman tells us how he went from being a model and working at The Gap to selling high end homes and speaking at conferences.

Herman breaks down how he uses social media and how that has built his authority in the industry.  That authority has yielded speaking and television appearances.  He has an easy to implement approach for Instagram. He also explains how his videos have yielded media attention.

Herman has a just do it mentality that inspired me to begin shooting some videos.  I think you are going to enjoy this episode.
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Herman's Home For The Holidays! His 2014 Home Buying & Decor Tips for Edge Magazine

12/16/2013

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Check out my feature for EDGE Magazine "Home For the Holidays with Herman Chan" where they grill me about home buying tips for 2014 and what to do with your newly purchased abode! 
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"Herman Chan is a man you want in your corner when it comes to real estate advice. And once you’ve purchased your dream home, keep him around for interior design and decorating tips that will keep you on budget and on trend."

Full article here! 
Herman Chan Real Estate Agent San Francisco LGBT Realtor Edge Magazine
Edge Magazine Grills Herman Chan For Real Estate Tips
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Wokking a Fine Line: Working With Asian Clients! 

11/6/2013

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Chinese buyers are taking over the world. Just check out the billionaire demographic. Asia is off the charts! Meanwhile, rich folk in Europe are dwindling (probably fleeing, especially in France where they have 75% tax on affluent people)


Here's a tongue in cheek article I penned for Asian Real Estate Magazine that's worth reading if you are gonna take on Asian clients! Enjoy! 

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Four Reasons Why You Can't Sell Your House! Tsk Tsk! 

10/18/2013

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reason why you cant sell your house herman chan
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Sell Your House ASAP with These 5 Tried & True Tips! 

10/11/2013

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Fortune Builders has a great infographic with top seller tips to move your property!  They might seem rudimentary, but they are tried & true!  
How to Sell House Fast - Herman Chan SF Real Estate Agent
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Out of the Closet, into the Living Room: Herman's Tale of Décor Upcycling for Frontiers Magazine! 

3/13/2013

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Read my HILARIOUS article for Frontiers Magazine!  I've written a lot of articles for them, and I just love that they let me be me! 

Spring is around the corner, and you are itching to redecorate your place. Problem is, you’ve got a dead-end job, your sugar daddy just cut off your AMEX or you’re just plain cheap! Decorating ain't cheap. No problem. If you’re low on cash but want a home makeover, you do what any resourceful Millennial does—you upcycle!  
    
For those of you living under a rock, upcycling is turning something old into something new. Before you Restoration Hardware snobs start dissing me, I'll have you know that upcycling is the hottest design trend now. Not only does it save you money, but it is great for Mother Nature. We need to be mindful of the stuff we consume. We are such a wasteful society, living in a throwaway culture. How many times have you bought a sequened off-the-shoulder top you just had to have, but only wore the darn thing once—and it was for a 1980sFlashdance Halloween party. I know I have! What a waste of $50! Before you toss it out like yesterday's trash, try to upcycle it! It is uncanny how many old, tattered things you own that can be repurposed for some fantabulous new home décor pieces.
    
Here is what I did recently to update my living room via upcycling. I was getting sick of my drab sofa. It needed to pop. It would be too expensive to buy a new one. (And have you seen the cost of shipping and handling recently?!) So I decided on a more affordable way to revive my sofa—pillow accents! I went into the closet and reached deep in the back trenches where I store clothes I rarely wear. I shut my eyes, grabbed some random pieces, and out popped a tube top, mu'umu'u and a knit miniskirt. (Guess I never threw away my old drag outfits. I’m such a hoarder!)
    
Being flat-chested, the tube top was too small. Not enough fabric to make a pillow/cushion cover. The mu'umu'u was too big. (Although I might save it for a mattress cover upcycling project!) That left the mini-skirt. It was perfect! I stole an extra pillow insert I had lying around the guest room closet, found a yard of double-sided sticky-back Velcro in the kitchen junk drawer and twirled into the living room to start my project. It literally took me 10 minutes. I placed the Velcro on the front and back waistline of the skirt, flipped it inside out to hide the Velcro seams, stuffed the pillow insert into the skirt, then sealed up the front and back hem with Velcro. After transforming my mini-skirt into a pillow, I thought, “Damn, Herman, this is too cute for my busted-up sofa. I’m gonna sell it on Etsy! For real!”
    
The fabulous thing about this skirt-turned-pillow is that it’s Velcro’d. You don’t need to mess up your Lee Press-Ons with any sewing! You can assemble and disassemble easily. This is especially handy when you get a last-minute date and all your clothes are dirty. All you have to do is waltz into your living room, grab the pillow, rip off the Velcro and toss it on. It’s a skirt again! Sigh, the joys of upcycling! Bottom line: Don’t be so quick to trash your junk clothes. You can always make a cute décor piece to brighten up your home.
    
Drop by my place HabitatForHermanity.com and I'll show you how to upcycle your old jockstraps into a macramé plant holder!

Herman Chan is a real estate and design expert whose blog Habitat for Hermanity offers a glimpse beyond the glitz and glam of real estate and design. (And it ain’t always pretty!) You’ve seen his trademark helpful, hilarious flair on HGTV House Hunters, Logo and Huffington Post. His new webseries, Real Estate Real Simple for theSan Francisco Chronicle, debuted this year. He was also once a Frontiers cover model.
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Should You Diss Agents on Your Blog? My Tip for RealEstate.com

2/27/2013

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Check out my tip about dissing agents on your blog for RealEstate.com's article 7 Blogging Mistakes Made By Real Estate Agents. (My friend Fred Glick also has a good tip about posting on facebook vs blog)

Dissing Other Real Estate Businesses: The old adage “if you have nothing nice to say don’t say it” works for blogs as well. According to real estate personality and associate broker and Realtor®, Herman Chan, “There is nothing wrong with a strong point of view (after all that is the basis of a good blog), but keep it professional and light. If you trash a competing listing across the street, trust me, your own listing is going to get trashed. While you want your blog to inform and entertain, leave trash talking at the door because it has a way of coming back full circle.

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

1/30/2013

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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'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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Holiday Décor in a Jiffy! Herman's Tips on HuffPostHome!

12/12/2012

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The season for holiday parties is in full swing! And, if you are anything like me, your social schedule is packed with non-stop soirées, get-togethers and mixers. You get to dress up, pig out and steal a kiss under the mistletoe. It is fun, festive and fabulous... until you are the one throwing the party at the last minute. Read my article for Huffington Post Home: Holiday Décor in a Jiffy! 
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San Francisco Chronicle: How to Open Up a Small Room!

10/10/2012

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As San Francisco proposes even tinier apartments via Supervisor Scott Wiener's legislation, check out my tips on opening up a small room from San Francisco Chronicle! 
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Expert Interview on Business2Community.com- 6 Questions on Social Media w/ Herman Chan  

9/25/2012

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Business 2 Community sat down with me for their "Expert Interviews" series. They asked me 6 questions about social media & real estate, including what is the biggest challenge facing your industry, what is the method/inspiration to your blogging success, what do you think is the future of social media & more! Real estate has been slow to catch up on this but it is about time everyone embraced it. No one want to be the dinosaur agent faxing offers...am I right?! 

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Bad Design Tip for 2 Married Gay Guys. HeHe! 

9/23/2012

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 Cute idea to write wedding vows as constant reminder of your wedded bliss, but don't do this if you are 2 married gay guys! From afar, it'll reads "HeHe"!! 
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Décor Expert Spotlight: Herman Chan (from Waterfront)

9/21/2012

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Waterfront Shopping Center asked me for some quick decor tips. 


If real estate décor expert Herman Chan looks familiar, you’ve probably spotted him on HGTV’s shows “My House is Worth What?” and “House Hunters.” When not helping clients find their dream homes, he’s helping them stage their space for sale. We snagged this busy realtor for a Q&A on how to design your own “Habitat for Hermanity:”

What are the most common mistakes people making when staging their home to go on the market?

Herman: Staging on their own! Some people think they have impeccable taste and will try to decorate solo, but decorating for yourself is different than staging a house to sell. I realize times are tough and not everyone can afford a stager, so instead of shelling out thousands of dollars, consider doing a one-time consultation—that way, you’ll have a guideline as to what colors to use and what furniture needs to be added/removed.

What are some easy improvements that can make a home more attractive to potential buyers?

Herman: Instead of painting all the walls, which can get costly, sometimes an accent wall is all you need for a pop of color. Also, bathroom and kitchen remodels historically have the highest return on investment. They can be expensive, so a quicker and more affordable facelift is a fresh paint job and/or new fixtures. It is amazing what a new coat of paint and some shiny knobs will do.

If you could tell your clients one important thing, it would be?

Herman: Be careful not to get too trendy. Fads come and go quickly and there is nothing worse then spending a fortune on decking out your home only for it to look dated shortly after.


 

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San Francisco Chronicle Video:  Eco-Friendly Home Decorating Ideas w/ Herman

9/20/2012

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Eco-Friendly Home Decorating Ideas w/ Herman
for San Francsico Chonicle
You better watch! After all green homes sell for 9% more than non-green homes! 
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my hair looked like a stegosaurus today!
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San Francisco Chronicle Video: Decorating a Swinging Bachelor's Dining Table! 

9/9/2012

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SF Chronicle Video: How To Decorate When Brother & Sister Share A Room

8/27/2012

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Another one of my helpfully hilarious videos for San Francisco Chronicle! My 2 favorite topics, houses & gender! You know I HAD to slip in some one-line zingers. Did you share a bedroom with a sibling? LMK!
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(VIDEO) How To Get Approved for an Apartment

8/6/2012

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The rental market is gettin' fierce! You've practically got to beat the other applicants off with a stick! Here are some tips to elbow your way into your dream apartment 

How to Get Approved for an Apartment -- powered by ehow
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