The Clarified Realty Podcast | Real Estate Secrets Your Agent Doesn't Want You To Know!

It's another look at the year with part two of our "Best Of 2017" episode. We start off talking negotiation and how Tom was taught to haggle by his wife -- and how he applies this in his real estate career. After that, it's part of our interview with David Duley, a serial real estate investor, about the current real estate market. And then, it's Eric Petz, a specialist in distressed properties. And we round it all up with my wife, Julie Clary, about estate plans and how important they are to real estate.

It was the first year of the podcast, so we thought it would be fun to start off by going back to our first episode and hear how it all began. We follow that with a great clip from CPAs extraordinaire, Steve Landsman and Vahan Papyan, about how freelancers can overcome obstacles to buy a home. Next up, a segment from one of our most popular episodes with Ian Mayer of IM Home Inspections talking about what to look for when hiring an inspector. And then a final rant from me about how to avoid helplessness.

The pressure is intense. You went to an open house and gave all your personal information on the sign in sheet. Since then, you've been inundated by endless emails -- and potentially -- unsolicited phone calls. This is a situation all too common in the real estate industry. We'll go through the ways real estate agents "trap" your information and put you into their marketing campaigns, harassing you until you cry for mercy. We'll show you how to avoid this mess and choose a real estate agent you can trust.

Tom is getting the same question over and over - "Should I buy a house now? Or, should I wait?" He likes to hear folks be cautious when buying a home, but facts have come to light regarding the real estate market that may mean waiting is not the best choice for them. Inventory is at critical levels (meaning prices will continue to rise) and interest rates will go up. These mean that buying a house will soon be even more expensive to do. Buying a house sooner rather than later might be a better strategy.

It's the holiday season, so we're giving tips about how you can discuss the real estate market with your family around the Christmas buffet. We know that Aunt Beatrice has heard on the news that it's a terrible time to buy a house and Uncle Bernie is saying "Bah-Humbug," telling you we're in a bubble and it's about to burst -- so, we thought it would be helpful to arm you with all the facts and strategies so you can hold your ground when you tell everyone you're looking to buy a home.

We're back and we've got lots of news to talk about. First, we discuss how the National Association of Realtors is finding new ways and options to help buyers save up their down payment. Then, we discuss how Millennials are coming off the bench and buying homes, leaving large scale landlords like Blackstone, who had made big bets in rentals, in the lurch. Then, we talk about the use of augmented reality in real estate and how some folks are building their entire homes around one piece of art.

In this episode, we're helping out with your move! Maybe not in the "heavy lifting" in exchange for cold pizza kind of way, but with lots of great advice from moving expert, Ted Cotter of Inside Moves Relocation Services, Inc.. Ted has amassed an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise when it comes down to the moving process with his over 30 years of working in the field. We discuss the process of training movers, how to protect your belongings, and the biggest mistakes people make when they move. 

In this episode, we take a closer look at one of the most important facets of the real estate transaction - communication. Deals can fall apart if not enough attention is made to keep everyone talking. We focus on the topic of communication by breaking it down into the three main stages of the transaction: before the offer (How do you want to be spoken to as a client?), during the escrow (Are both parties talking to each other?), and after the deal closes (Do you want to stay in touch with your agent?).

It's time for a very special Halloween episode of The Clarified Realty Podcast. First up, we discuss word that real estate will appreciate at a slower level next year in California (Tom disagrees). Then, a study says there might be a correlation between crime and rent control. In extra scary news, Ron brings up the possibility of the new Trump tax plan gutting the mortgage interest deduction. Finally, we cover a spine-tingling survey done to see what it would take for someone to buy a haunted house. BOO!

We're talking with Geoff Jaime of GT Investments about how he started buying apartments buildings and managing them. He talks to us about his first multi-family property purchase and how he made that move after some good advice from his landlord. He then discusses what potential investors should look for when they are going to buy properties and what they have in store for them as they manage their purchase. We also discuss the pros (and mostly) cons of rent control. It's a very interesting conversation!

Ron and Tom start start with The Fed and will it be increasing rates by the end of this year and how that could affect the real estate market. They then discuss Blackstone's big bet the American Dream is dying, evidenced by their purchase of thousands of single-family homes to rent out. The conversation then moves towards the re-emergence of appraisal free loans and how that could mean transactions takes less time. Then things take a "Minority Report" turn with new real estate A.I. backed by Kobe Bryant.

This episode couldn't be more timely. We talk to Mark Trachtenberg, an investigator with the U.S. Postal Service about the Equifax security breach and how that can affect homeowners. Mark has been chasing down con-men and ponzi-schemers for almost a decade and has some very good insight. He also tells us about the latest scams, who are the most vulnerable when it comes to getting scammed, and what to look for so don't get taken in the first place (hint: if it's too good to be true -- it probably is).

Often misunderstood, home equity sharing programs may just be a helpful way buyers can obtain more of a down payment and get more house or even keep their monthly payments lower. In this episode we're talking to Michael Micheletti and Lara Watson of Unison Home Ownership Investors about how their company provides these programs to both home buyers and home owners (for improvements), as well as how the perception of these programs is changing,

In this episode, we're talking to Steve Hochman, the owner of Solarhawk Renewable Solutions. He starts off by letting us know what inspired him to turn from a life as a producer in the entertainment industry into working to bring more environmentally friendly energy solutions to the public. We were all impressed by the passion that Steve showed for what he does and how this is more than just a job to him -- it's a movement. Please give it a listen and tell us what you think!

This week's episode was supposed to be about news stories, but we got a rant instead! Tom starts off the podcast with a story about a phone call with a real estate agent that went from bad to worse. Ron and Tom discuss how bad agent behavior harms everyone in the long run -- and then finish up with a news story about two large landlords merging to be come the biggest landlord in the country. They are betting that millennials are not buying houses anymore. What are they buying? Bachelor parties.