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Real Estate Law Changes in California

Robert Whitelaw — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:10:54 +0000

We have some new laws here in california designed to protect consumers. We will review and discuss them in todays show. We will also take some time to discuss loan origination and whether or not real estate brokers should be providing that service as well as representing buyers. We will talk about a few other things that have generally gotten me riled up this week.

Take a listen to the whole podcast for that and more!

Predictions for Buyers and Sellers

Robert Whitelaw — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:10:07 +0000

This weeks show evolved into a discussion of what buyers and sellers should be doing to achieve their goals in the coming months. There is still some concern about where foreclosures are going to go, but that does not mean that there are not good deals to be had out there.

Take a listen to the whole podcast for that and more!

Why do I give away the book 'The 5000 Year Leap'?

Robert Whitelaw — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:52:36 +0000

If you are reading this, then you are probably holding a copy of "The 5000 Year Leap" in your hands right now - looking at a sticker fixed to the back of the front cover. I actually prefer to refer to it by its sub-heading, which is "Principles of Freedom 101".
This amazing book explores the founding of our nation and reveals the universally applicable ideas that the founders intended our nation to be guided by. These ideas were designed to be applicable regardless of time. In fact, as you read it, don't be surprised if the words you read are startlingly close to things we face today. The bottom line is that our founders experience, knowledge and education combined to give us an amazing gift.

WHY?

So why in the world is a real estate broker and Realtor giving away copies of this book? Well, there are a few reasons. First, one of the things I love about real estate is that it is an industry that embraces one of our fundamental rights - the right to privately own property. Our property is specifically protected by the Constitution. It is protected from unreasonable search and seizure, from being occupied by the government or being taken away from us against our will (Which brings up the pesky topic of eminent domain). In my book, the entire concept of property ownership is inseparable from some of our core rights as Americans.

What’s more, I graduated from college with a degree in History. I have spent a whole lot of time reading a whole lot of books about the founding of our nation. In this one deceptively small book you are getting the important points that you would otherwise have to read dozens of really musty books to get. In our busy modern world, most people do not have the time to go out and read a few dozen books to get all the important information on what our founders really did for us. So this book can give you all that knowledge and understanding, without you sacrificing all that time and bookshelf space.

Even more important is that EVERY American should know this stuff. Many like to portray our founders as a bunch of stodgy old guys in wigs whose ideas are out of touch with modern times. Nothing could be further from the truth. These men came together and created a system that took into account the darker tendencies of men. They understood where more and more government control would lead. They even predicted the tendency of a state toward socialism, even if they did not use that specific word.

So What Is In It For You?

Knowledge. Like the man says, knowledge is power. So much of what has gone wrong with our system is based on the idea that the general public is ignorant of the true intended nature of our government.

Is this some loony attempt to push religion on me?

No. Despite the word ‘Miracle’ plastered on the front cover, this is not a shot at foisting religion on you. I know that much of what gets discussed brings up a belief in God – but that has more to do with the beliefs of the founders. Even if you are not a believer, you’re going to get a whole lot out of this. The key is really just to understand that the founders did believe in a Higher Power – not in one religion. The reason is that they had too to support a key premise of our Constitution. The idea is that we are ‘endowed by our creator’ by certain inalienable rights (remember that?). That means that we have rights that are not given to us by the government. So for that idea to really get anywhere, you have to buy into the idea that there is ‘something’ out there that created us with these rights - built right into our DNA so to speak. If you want to think of it as a philosophical choice rather than a religious one, go for it. Trust me tho, if you push through the parts that might seem too ‘supreme being’ heavy for you, you will not regret it. The mindset it creates is a powerful one – our rights are OURS and should not be subject to the whims of any government.

So why do you give these away?

It just seems like the right thing to do. I think it’s important. Yes, I pay for them, but I like sharing these ideas with as many people as possible. If you want to talk about the ideas expressed in the books, I would love to hear from you. If you live nearby, maybe we can even get together over a cup of coffee and chat about it. Frankly, too little time is spent exploring what it means to be an American – and our schools are not spending enough time (if any at all) educating our children about what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America.

Thanks for the book! I loved it! Now what?

Give it away. Hand it off to someone you think will get something out of it. Leave it at a truck stop. Maybe in the lobby of your dentist the next time you are in for a cleaning. If more people really understood what our founders intended us to inherit, a whole lot of folks are going to wonder what the hell happened and might just start asking why. Now that you know so much more about what the founders had in mind for us, stand up and be heard! Don't just keep all this great new knowledge to yourself! Share it with people when you can.

How Can I Thank You?

I support this effort through my real estate business, Whitelaw & Sons Real Estate Services. If you need a great real estate professional, give me a call. If I cannot help you, I can find someone who can (No matter where you are in the United States). I love what I do and I think it shows.

Thanks,

Robert Whitelaw

Short Sale or Foreclosure for Sellers?

Robert Whitelaw — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:10:55 +0000

So which do you pick if you are a homeowner facing tough times? Short sale or foreclosure? We will take some time to talk about the differences in todays show. There is also some interesting news from the Palo Alto area that brings up the topic of rent and whether or not landlords should be free to ask what they want for rent. We will discuss it this week on Real Estate Realities with the RebelBroker.

Fewer good agents out there? Let me know!

Robert Whitelaw — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:09:47 +0000

This week I will share some experience with you all about the quality of agents I have been encountering. Plus, I ask you for your experiences. Are you seeing the same thing I am? We also get more information regarding foreclosures that makes it seem like we were WAY ahead of the curve on worrying about the backlog of looming foreclosures. We also tie it all together with the latest real estate headlines. Take a listen for all of it this week!

Click on through to the podcast!

Future foreclosures looming?

Robert Whitelaw — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:09:02 +0000

Are we really doing this again? This week we will talk about how some current policies in the world of foreclosures might just be doing more harm than good. We have seen this happen a couple of times over the laster, but could the results be worse this time around?

More examples of bad agents, China and US commercial real esate

Robert Whitelaw — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:09:13 +0000

This weeks show will touch on a promising development that can help you get your home off the grid. We will also talk about the latest really annoying example of real estate agents we would never want to work with. Plus, China is investing in US commercial real estate. Dandy.

Click on through to the other side for the podcast!

Jackson Oaks : Jan. - July 2009 Real Estate Report

Robert Whitelaw — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:52:47 +0000

Jackson Oaks continues to see slow sales. The good news is that we saw some homes that had been on the market a long while finally sell in the first half of 2009. So while we cannot say that the market has recovered, it does look as though it is heading in the right direction.

Read on for all the sold, pending and active data for the first 6 months of 2009.

Holiday Lake Estates : Jan - July 2009

Robert Whitelaw — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:09:07 +0000

It is that time of year again. We look at all the numbers for Holiday Lake Estates for the first six months of 2009. We are finally seeing more properties moving in Holiday Lake Estates.

We are still no where near the kind of activity we saw leading up to the market boom, and prices are clearly down. However, we are at least seeing more activity than we have in the last couple of years.

Take a look for yourself!

Getting the hottest deal in foreclosures!

Robert Whitelaw — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:08:51 +0000

That's right, this week we talk about a trend in the foreclosure business that I think people can really profit from. In many areas, there are now multiple offers on foreclosures. Well, I have come across a way for you to not only beat out ALL those offers, but to pay LESS than all the others are offering! How can this be? Dark magic? Divine intervention? Bribery? Nope, just take advantage of a trend I spotted that might not last too long!

Monetize the debt? You bet!

Robert Whitelaw — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:08:26 +0000

There was a lot of news out there over the last week. The Fed/Treasury is doing its best to take us down the same economic road that nations like Zimbabwe have followed (not good). There are also a few news items out there that dovetail into one another in an interesting way - from a real estate point of view anyway. Take a listen for all the details. Plus, we edge toward some conspiracy theories. Be patient with me, I wander into the political weeds a bit - but trust me, it all relates to real estate eventually!

Fees That Suck

Robert Whitelaw — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:08:18 +0000

That's right, this week we are talking about some fees. A recent court ruling negated one brokerages fees they were charging to clients. However, that does not mean that the fee is dead, it just means they need to handle it differently. So what does this mean for you? We discuss.

Is it time to invest in a backyard bunker?

Robert Whitelaw — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:08:42 +0000

I had some interesting calls from listeners over the last week who wanted to talk apocalypse. We will cover that idea in this weeks show. Commercial real estate is taking it in the shorts, we will do a quick rundown of what you might want to do if commercial real estate interests you at all. Listen to this weeks podcast for all that and more!

Are we prolonging the foreclosure market?

Robert Whitelaw — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:07:18 +0000

Lots of random news coming together this week. The press is just starting to talk about something we have already covered - the change in appraisal rules. We will review that and see if the press has gotten it right so far. We will also talk about several issues coming together that must might spell a much longer cycle of foreclosures.

Real Estate Investing on Vacation

Robert Whitelaw — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In this weeks show we talk about mixing just a little bit of real estate investment into your vacation plans. After all, if you are taking a vacation there, chances are someone else just might want to... and they will need a place to stay. Maybe it is just the place to consider investing in a short term rental property. Follow the link to listen in.