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damn that's a big hand!
Houses aflame and Cory Booker seem to go hand in hand!  Last month the dashing Newark mayor ran into a burning house to save a woman's life (Swoon!) Yesterday, he wasn't as lucky. The fixer upper he was renovating caught on fire. Arson? Insurance fraud? Accident? 

Reminder to maintain your fire insurance!  

 
 
In a widely publicized 'hate crime' last year where 2 lesbians found "KILL THE GAY" spray painted on their garage and a noose on their front door, the FBI has now determined that these 2 faked it. Towleroad reports: At the root of the couple's clash with the HOA: Complaints that the women didn't pick up after their dogs.
 
 
Zsa Zsa's property has languished on the market for a long time, but now under Roger's care, I'm sure it will fly! The Hollywood Reporter mentions all the deets. Congrats!
 
 

I, for one, welcome this news! Why?
  • Survival of the fittest. Only the best agents survived. The people who got their license just to make a quick buck have fled.  Our clients deserve top representation. 
  • Amateurs need not apply. You just can't do this part-time anymore.  The worse thing is doing a deal with an agent who you can't get ahold of until they clock out of their 9-5 M-F job. 
  • If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen! This ain't an easy job. If it were, there would not be 30% attrition rate from the market peak. I'm just sayin'
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Now you can dig up the dirt on a property all online!  San Francisco Planning Department lets you dig up a property's history from rent control,  complaints, historical status, zoning, permits and more! This is super useful for anyone who is planning on buying a place or even renting. You can not always rely on the landlord or seller's disclosures (because they might not know themselves either). 

I wish every city made this info as readily available as SF. It's like Carfax, but for houses! 

 
 
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In other Canadian chanteuse news, KD Lang has sold her private Beverly Glen home to a member of Maroon 5 for $1.9M. Check out those pix! Somehow I just knew KD Lang's home wouldn't be designed with  florals, pastels and curves. Looks like a logger's dream home! 

Congrats on the sale, KD! 

 
 
The Canadian songbird Celine Dion is selling her nest for $29M. This 24,000 sq ft Montreal estate was built in 2001 to resemble at French Norman castle....and it looks, well, like a 2001 French Norman knock-off. But I ain't knockin' Celine! Tastes aside, anyone who rockets from a poverty-stricken childhood into international celebrity thru hard work and talent has earned the right to live in a chateau fascimile! 
 
 
TMZ reports the self proclaimed 1st Top Super Model Janice Dickison is three months behind on her West LA rent. $17,700. The press has not been kind to her, but I find her antics entertainingly desperate.