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Real Estate Matters

2016 Real Estate Market Forecast.

1/27/2016

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by Michael Ertem
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​I believe 2016 will be the greatest year we have seen in the real estate industry in last three decades, let’s dive right into it and why I believe that way.

December Existing Home Sales drop dramatically, and that created headlines that are the housing market slowing down. 

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How To Remove Popcorn Like A Boss

1/25/2016

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​Popcorn ceiling is composed primarily of chalk, clay plus an aggregate.  It looks like the cottage cheese. To take out popcorn ceiling, you will need to moist it, which transforms it right into a  soft gooey mess.

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What Do First Time Homebuyers Need To Know Before Buying Their Dream Home?

1/24/2016

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Home buyers can get mixed up in the excitement of purchasing a new home and have a tendency to ignore some things.  Whether anyone is a first-time buyer, or perhaps an old experienced homebuyer, the foremost and most essential matter for the person to do is to find out how much home they're able to afford.  

Have an understanding of instant and long-term expenses  -- When purchasing a home potential buyers must have an excellent understanding on all of the expenses included with buying a house

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Glen Frey, was not someone to "Take It Easy"

1/18/2016

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Eagles vocalist and guitar player Glen Frey has passed away in New York City at age 67.  He was a founding member of the track record setting group The Eagles.  They were my gateway into country-rock/the south-west sweet sound. Total bummer.

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Playboy Mansion is For Sale, Hef Included, But Bunnies Are Not

1/17/2016

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​The Playboy Mansion, the most famous home that hosted the hottest gatherings ever happened in Los Angeles is for sale.  The affluent architect Arthur Kelly designed the house in 1927 for department store heir Arthur Letts, Junior. Later, Hefner bought the house from entrepreneurial inventor  Louis Statham for $1.05 million in 1971 which was then a record number. If it sells at asking price, it is 200 times in 45 years. $4.4 million increase per year.

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​How-To Tips For Keeping Your Roof In Perfect Shape

1/17/2016

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by Michael Ertem
Have you noticed any questionable areas on the roof of your home? Are there sections that look damaged? Are you unsure what exactly you're seeing when you look at your roof? You need to understand how to care for your roof. You will then be able to take stock of the condition of your roof, and decide how to address potential problem spots before the damage expands and becomes more expensive to repair.

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The Garrett, McAuley Report

1/16/2016

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by Joe Garrett
Stocks of mortgage lenders and investors didn't have a good year, with Flagstar and HomeStreet being huge exceptions.  Congratulations to Sandro DiNello and Mark Mason, respectively, the CEOs of these two great banks.  As for the others, we randomly chose the change in stock prices for companies we thought were representative of this industry:
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Here are some of the lessons I have learned in my first 80 years.  I hope to continue to practice them in the next 80

1/16/2016

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by Byron Wien
​1.    Concentrate on finding a big idea that will make an impact on the people you want to influence.  The Ten Surprises, which I started doing in 1986, has been a defining product.  People all over the world are aware of it and identify me with it.  What they seem to like about it is that I put myself at risk by going on record with these events which I believe are probable and hold myself accountable at year-end.  If you want to be successful and live a long, stimulating life, keep yourself at risk intellectually all the time.

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Byron Wien Announces Predictions for Ten Surprises for 2016 - Press Release

1/15/2016

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New York, NY, January 4, 2016. Byron R. Wien, Vice Chairman of Multi-Asset Investing at Blackstone, today issued his list of Ten Surprises for 2016. This is the 31st year Byron has given his views on a number of economic, financial market and political surprises for the coming year. Byron defines a “surprise” as an event that the average investor would only assign a one out of three chance of taking place but which Byron believes is “probable,” having a better than 50% likelihood of happening.

Byron started the tradition in 1986 when he was the Chief U.S. Investment Strategist at Morgan Stanley. Byron joined Blackstone in September 2009 as a senior advisor to both the firm and its clients in analyzing economic, political, market and social trends.

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The Danger of Hiring A Part Time Real Estate Agent

1/9/2016

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by Michael Ertem
​Like every morning, I was checking new listings in my area this morning. It helps me to be familiar with the inventory and informs me with market activity. I was looking at a property listed close to 2 million dollars and read the description and looked at the photographs to my horror.

Many real estate agents have cookie cutter descriptions of the properties they list kind of like one fits all approach. This agent's listing is not differentiating the home than others in the greater city listings.  I decided to check on this agent. Her website says she is an award winning realtor since early 80's. What kind of awards are given to mediocre professionals? Who is giving these so called awards? What makes them top agent? Then, I find out, this agent sells zero to two homes in a particular year since she started her career, apparently a part-time agent.

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    Save Thousands of Dollars When Selling Your Home and Keep More of Your Equity
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    What is My Home Worth?
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    Things to Consider When Buying a Home Fall 2017 Edition
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    Things to Consider When Selling Your House Fall 2017 Edition
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  • Home
  • SELLERS
    • Seller Signup
    • What's My Berkeley Home Worth?
    • FAQ
    • 2017 Fall Sellers Guide
  • BUYERS
    • Buyer Rebate Program
    • 2017 Fall Buyer Guide
  • SEARCH HOMES
    • BERKELEY HOMES FOR SALE
    • EL CERRITO HOMES FOR SALE
    • OAKLAND HOMES FOR SALE
    • EMERYVILLE HOMES FOR SALE
    • SAN FRANCISCO HOMES FOR SALE
    • WALNUT CREEK HOMES FOR SALE
    • DANVILLE HOMES FOR SALE
    • SAN RAMON HOMES FOR SALE
  • Resources
    • How To Sell Your Home Fast!
    • Home Buying Guide
    • Room By Room Workbook
    • One Cool Thing
    • Videos
  • My Blog
  • CMA
  • About Me
  • Contact