Bernard Laffer (www.goldpacrealty.com) : Blog

5950 Black Ave, Pleasanton, CA

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:58:30 -0800

I just finished uploading this Apartment for sale, 5950 Black Ave, Pleasanton, CA

31351 Beacon Bay Drive, Union City, CA

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:48:28 -0800

I just sold this House at 31351 Beacon Bay Drive, Union City, CA .

View this recently sold House or see all my home sales

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE REAL STATE INDUSTRY

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:08 -0800

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The downturn in the economy brought drastic changes to the real estate industry. House prices plummeted, short sales and foreclosures became the norm, lending was faced with a slew of regulations that made home borrowing a rare art for. On the upside the real estate community (agents, mortgage brokers and appraisers) shrank. At peak there was one real estate agent for every 24 households, today there is one for every 31 households. For those of us who are still in business Congrats. BUT! Things have changed. The definition of a good agent today is someone who gets his paperwork in on time. The humane aspect of real estate has all but disappeared. Partnering with the buying or selling agent to fix things or reduce commissions is long gone. For the first time in a long time I found a buying agent who was willing to work with me financially to hold a deal together. We both reduced our commissions and partnered up to put in new air conditioning because there was some confusion as to what happened to the homes compressor. Needless to say we closed. Large companies frown on their agents reducing their commission to pay for repairs and upgrades needed to make all parties happy. The company is more concerned with the bottom line than producing happy clients. Desk fees and lower splits are the norm for the agent in the national brokerages. As a result agents are jumping from company to company in search of better deals. Loyalty to company and colleagues is dwindling.

764 Lakemont Place, San Ramon , CA

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:55:58 -0800

I just finished uploading this No Values ... for sale, 764 Lakemont Place, San Ramon , CA

Completely and remarkably remodeled. Backs to golf course w/ views of course & Mt Diablo. Cherry wd cabinets , granite counters , SS appli. Braziilan cherrywd flooring thruout.Remodeled baths, 5 skylights, glass blocks.Raised fireplaces in family,living & master w/ retreat. Custom paint 7 fixtures.

Open House!

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:17:34 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Nov 20th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at Oakstone Court , Concord. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent TRADITIONAL SALE for sale in beautiful .

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this TRADITIONAL SALE for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 925-485-5382 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bernard Laffer
Golden Pacific Realty

5405 Oakstone Court, Concord, CA

Bernard Laffer — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:09:34 -0800

I just finished uploading this TRADITIONAL SALE for sale, 5405 Oakstone Court, Concord, CA

65k lot premium. Private ct .backs to open space w/ panoramic views of mtns& ridge. Highly upgraded. Gourmet kitchen w/ maple,corian,brkst bar,builtin appl,dbl oven. Master w/ retreat & firplc. Maple, corian,custom tile,paint, windw cov,built ins & more. Bed & 1.5 bths down. 3 car NORTHGATE HS

5933 Sterling Greens Cir, Pleasanton, CA

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:47:33 -0800

I just sold this TRADITIONAL SALE at 5933 Sterling Greens Cir, Pleasanton, CA CANYON OAKS.

View this recently sold TRADITIONAL SALE or see all my home sales

5748 Highbluff Terrace, Pleasanton, CA

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:47:19 -0800

I just sold this TRADITIONAL SALE at 5748 Highbluff Terrace, Pleasanton, CA .

View this recently sold TRADITIONAL SALE or see all my home sales

3132 Pesimmon Circle, Pleasanton, CA

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:47:10 -0800

I just sold this TRADITIONAL SALE at 3132 Pesimmon Circle, Pleasanton, CA .

View this recently sold TRADITIONAL SALE or see all my home sales

1119 Mills, Pleasanton, CA

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:46:57 -0800

I just sold this TRADITIONAL SALE at 1119 Mills, Pleasanton, CA PONDEROSA ESTATE.

View this recently sold TRADITIONAL SALE or see all my home sales

Open House!

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:44:58 -0800

We are proud to announce that this Nov 12th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM we will be hosting an Open House at Beacon Bay Drive , Union City. This is an opportunity to visit this excellent House for sale in beautiful .

Please come with any questions you may have. In the meantime you can take a virtual tour of this House for sale.

As always please do not hesitate to give me a call at 925-485-5382 if I can answer any questions before the open house, or if you would like to book a private showing.

Bernard Laffer
Golden Pacific Realty

31351 Beacon Bay Drive, Union City, CA

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:39:06 -0800

I just finished uploading this House for sale, 31351 Beacon Bay Drive, Union City, CA

Highly upgrded 5 bed 3 bath . Distresd hardwd flrng thruout 1st floor. Eat in kitch w/ granite cntrs, oak cabs, island built in appi, pantry. Bed & full bath down. Mastr suite w/ stall shwr, sunkn tub, custm tiled flrng. Lg yard w/ brick seatng wall, covrd patio. No front neighbrs.Delain Eastin Elem

Blog The rantings of a full service discount real estate broker Eclectic is not good

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:00:32 -0700

tHE RANTINGS OF A FULL SERVICE DISCOUNT REAL ESTATE BROKER - THE SCAMMING NEVER STOPS

Bernard Laffer — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:11:37 -0700

A NEW CLIENT CONTACTED ME WITH THE INTENTION OF PURCHASING A PROPERTY IN THE Oakland Hills.It had been on and off the market several times. She informed me that she had spoken to the owner and was informed that he had successfully fought off foreclosure for th second time. He retained the services of a specialist in distressed property. Upon checking the county records it was obvious that this home had been foreclosed upon. In its history the trustee sle had been reversed but there was no indication that this was the present situation. I spoke to the owner, hi consultant , a title rep and an attorney from Atlanta. The consultant was positive that the owner held title under aholding co formed for the express purpose of fighting the bank. One I knew f or sure was that the owner owed a lot more money than he was willing to sell the house for. THE CONSULTATN AND THE OWNER CLAIMED THAT IT WOULD BE A TRADITIONAL SALE. I HAVE YET TO FIGURE OUT THEIR ANGLE BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY ARE NOT IN THE POSITION TO SELL THE HOME. It has the feel of another one of these distressed property scams. The owner has not made a payment in 2 years and is still living in the home. It has been foreclosed on several times. It is amazing what people try to get away with

The Rantings of a Full Service Discount Real Estate Broker: The problems with being a landlord

Bernard Laffer — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:58:31 -0700

for the past 3 years I have rented my former residence to a wealthy man who is one of the owners of a large local business. At the time he rented my home his credit was terrible because of credit charges that were left unpaid by is wife. He was going through a difficult divorce because hoe had taken up with his nanny. My house was only years old and in excellent condition. It is highly upgraded and had new carpet,paint, hardwood and many other expensive features. The understanding ecad that he would take good care of the home be a use. My Intention was to sell it when the market recovered. It is a magnificent 5 bed4 bath 3500 sq ft home. He moved in to the home with his new girlfriend ( his former nanny) I made no judgment about his situation despite being warned by many people on the community about the controversy attached to his divorce. He paid the rent on time and seemed to take decent care of the home. He had custody of his 3 children part time. Periodically I to go to the home to do maintenance items or to help him out (he forgot his passport and I overnited it to his hotel). Recently hid girlfriend called me from New York and asked me to overnite her phone and some other items that she forgot to their hotel). I co not like to go to the house without their being home. I agreed t help them out again. when I tried to enter through the garage I found it so packed with a new Audi toner times. I had to climb over equipment and was barely able to enter. When I entered the home I found it filthy ,cluttered and in bad shape . They had stopped caring about my beautiful home. I was so furious that I left. They texted me and called me but I was so angry that I could not respond. Now the rent is due and they have not paid it. I feel betrayed by these people that I trusted. I can rent the home for more money but I never considered doing it. I am in a situation that I do not deserve. I am going to begin eviction proceedings and will sue them for the damage. I always treated them well and do not deserve this treatment. Obviously it is now just business. I believe that he has fixed his credit and would not appreciate a court judgment against him. I cannot bring myself to talk to them because of how they treated my home. I am initiating action on Monday. I have begun to advertise the home for rent and have received a huge response. It sucks when you are nice to people and they betray you. Obviously I can fix the home but I would ha been a lot easier if I did not have to. Do not let your better judgment get in the way of business. I will not make that mistake again

THE RANTINGS OF A FULL SERVICE DISCOUNT REAL ESTATE BROKER - WHEN IS CHEAP NOT CHEAP

Bernard Laffer — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:13:45 -0700

Recently I was referred to a potential client by a lender. The client was interested in purchasing a property in the Oakland Hills. We spoke on the phone and the first words out of her mouth were” I have aan out of town friend who has a real estate license who is willing to write the contract for 1%. We discussed my services and I explained that I normally credit half of the buying commission to my clients. I pulled up the listing just to get a sense of the home that she is interested in. The house is in a gated community in the Oakland Hills. It sits on a severe slop[e with a good portion of the yard having an extreme downhill slope. I also remembered that this development has a history of foundation problems. This type of home requires careful investigation and consideration. You need to bring in a structural/ soil engineer to look t the foundation and the hill. Bringing in an engineer can create further problems because many specialists own a construction company. They inspect the job , write a report and provide a bid. I am very leery of this type of inspector. I take care not bring an inspector onto a property that might have a self serving agenda. The engineer that I use has a PHD from Berkeley, extensive hands on experience and does not do any construction work/repairs. He will offer drawings free of charge. He always gives an honest evaluation. I tried to point this out to the potential client but she was harping on how much money her friend is going to give her. They were offering 3% total commission and I would gladly credit her 1.5%, but this is a job that warrants a lot of work. You cannot go full steam ahead into a purchase of a property on a hill. Particularly one that is in a region of unstable soil. I explained that I would follow my normal program and that she needed to be careful with this home. She did not hear me. This is the type of situation where greed can get in the way of good judgment. Unfortunately many people hold Real Estate licenses that do not have any experience. They pay their dues and try to grab onto a little income . Buying a home is not a joke. You need to be careful. Do not let greed get in your way of good judgment.

THE RANTINGS OF A FULL SERVICE DISCOUNT REAL ESTATE BROKER - WHAT IS FULL SERVICE?

Bernard Laffer — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:28:16 -0700

The large real estate firms teach courses in how to compete with discount real estate brokers. The revert back to the old adage “ you get what you pay for”. I know one agent who tells client’s that he is the Bloomingdale’s of realtors and the discount brokers are Wall Mart. They will also claim that by being part of a larger company gives them an internal network to sell their listings. They also claim they people in their company cooperate with each other. What a load of crap? For over 15 years I have been selling and buying homes throughout the Bay Area on behalf of my clients. I list homes on the MLS, display a professionally prepared virtual tour and 25 slide photo array. I hold homes open on a regular basis.My listings have maximum on line exposure. Realtor .com is the most widely viewed on line site. I pay for showcase status that allows me to control the info that is displayed on Realtor.com. I can also display more photos, create banners and text and change things as needed. I also pay for Feature Home status that allows a listing to have 10 times the normal amount of viewings. I also pay for positioning on Zillow and prominently display my listings on Trulia, Redfin , Yahoo homes and many other real estate sites. I provide free staging, free moving assistance, each listing gets its own site, full color brochures , and advertising in the local newspaper. I am very reachable ( always answer my phone). I willingly share my over 15 years of real estate experience with my clients. I do not sugar coat things. I am ALSO A BELIEVER IN PUSHING THE ENVELOPE ON PRICING A HOME . I TRY TO MAINTAIN HOME VALUES IN A COMMUNITY. I do not encourage cheap pricing just to move a home . When I double end a property ( represent both seller and buyer) I cut my commission so that all parties benefit. I am also am a former practicing trial attorney and have over 16 years of full time teaching experience at a high school , junior college and college level. I confess I AM A FULL SERVICE DISCOUNT REAL ESTATE BROKER. Check with your local agent too see if his definition of full service matches mine. I also allow my client’s to cancel at any time. If you do not like how I do business I will pull up my sign and leave. Let’s see your Bloomingdale’s version of real estate match that.

Fighting the Good Fight

Bernard Laffer — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:09:24 -0700

I fight a constant battle with trades people, inspectors and home building suppliers to save my clients money and keep their costs down. What amazes me is how other Realtors get away without doing any of it.They tell me that I am making a mistake by getting involved with Client's updating a home for sale . Other agents say that the clients do not appreciate my efforts and that I am going to be sued. I think that they are foolish, but their clients fall for it. I do not understand it but I am amazed at how people can fall for agents puffing and exaggeration by agreeing to pay them 5 or 6 percent to sell their homes . They also believe that the agents services are so valuable that the clients should not expect a rebate when they purchase a home. I say nonsense! I have been involved in selling and purchasing homes for over 15 years and I fully believe in my commission structure. I bring my years of practicing law, teaching high school,junior college and college and being involved in college admissions to the table when I work with my clients. I also coached track in high schools and colleges . This allows me to have a better understanding of school districts and communities. The benefits of my legal background are obvious. I try to share this with my clients. I try to save my clients money and also make their transition into a new neighborhood a positive experience. When it comes to my real-estate pricing and services less is truly more.

HAVE JUST RECEIVED GOOD NEWS

Bernard Laffer — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:09:49 -0700

HAVE JUST RECEIVED GOOD NEWS. Several realtors whom I have known for years have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in price fixing at the foreclosure auctions at the court house steps in Oakland. When the FBI began investigating realtors many people thought that it was a one time thing. The Feds would make a few arrests and the investigation would go away. I knew different. I still trying criminal cases in NYC WHEN THE Feds became involved in prosecuting groups of offenders under the Federal RICO laws. The laws are broad based and it is relatively easy to connect offenders to the larger criminal conspiracy. It has been a very effective tool in prosecuting Organized crime. I was present when the US Attorney’s office in Southern District ( Manhattan, NYC) headed by Rudolph Guliani prosecuted Leroy” Nicky”Barnes for heading a large scale criminal enterprise. He was the first offender to receive natural life under Rico. His character was played by Cuba Gooding in the movie about the drug dealer Frank Lucas ( American Gangster) starring Denzel Washington. I fully expected that the Us Attorney’s office would conduct an ongoing Federal Grand Jury investigating the corruption on the Oakland Court House steps. The irony is that the agents involved would have been able to purchase properties at a reasonable price without fixing the auctions. I had been approached on numerous occasions to participate. I was asked to pay a finders fee of 5 to 1ok for the privilege of buying a home that one of these corrupt agents had already purchased illegally. I represented MOB GUYS AND MAJOR DRUG DEALERS AND KNEW A SCAM WHEN I SEE ONE. I ALWAYS RAN FROM THESE PEOPLE AND WARNED MY FRIENDS NOT TO GET INVOLVED. What many people did not realize is that if you pay the Finders fee ( 5 to 10k) with the intention of purchasing a foreclosed home you are including yourself in the conspiracy. That act alone makes you a criminal. You are profiting from an illegal act. I know one agent who completely changed his business plan to focus on purchasing homes at the Oakland auctions. After attempting to purchase homes legitimately he resorted to paying the Finder’s fee. He always worked through one of the most active agents at the court house steps. He was doing this to get his clients a better deal and most of the purchases were below 100k . He did not participate directly so his profits were limited. I expect him to be arrested. He is a very nice guy but he is a criminal. He should have known better. I fully expect that many agents will cooperate. The problem is that Rico has a Civil side where the Feds go after your ill gotten gains. You can lose a lot of your savings and your real estate portfolio and still end up in jail. Do I feel sorry for these people NO NO NO NO NO . I am laughing at them . They are bottom feeders who are taking advantage of people’s misfortune. They do not have enough dignity to participate in the process in an honest manner. It is too bad that I am so many years removed from Criminal Law. I could have told so of my old clients to welcome these assholes with open arms when they reach Federal prison . They have no idea what they are in store for. Even a Federal Minimum Security prison like Allenwood , Pa is horrible. You live in a dormitory setting and have absolutely no privacy. There are always predators lurking in even the mildest of the Federal prison. They are anxious to hook up a new fish and take them for all they can. There is always the possibility of violence in any prison. One of my clients said that he preferred medium or even maximum security state prisons to minimum security Federal because you had your own cell that you could lock. People could not mess with you as easily. I may seem cruel but I am tickled pink by the arrests. I hope that they remember not to drop the soap in the shower

CLIENTS BEWARE

Bernard Laffer — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:16:05 -0700

I been an active realtor for over 15 years. I have never ceased to be amazed at the actions of my colleagues. On the whole most know what they are doing and act in the interest of their clients but on occasion I come in contact with a person of experience who does not have a clue as to what he is doing. A lot of real estate is handled by process. Procedures are formatted and as long as a realtor follows process the transaction closes. How do you know whether you realtor knows what he or she is doing? It is very hard to figure out. As of late I have interacted with several established active realtors who are absolutely dingy. Their actions make me question how they stay in business. I am not saying that I am perfect because I am very far from that. But I operate with my clients interest in mind. I do not try to pass ridiculousness off as competence. I was recently in a transaction where a very established realtor sent out a multi counter that had no relevance to my client who was an all cash buyer. When I discussed it with her she said it was easier to do it this way. As a result my client did not follow up and the house ( a short sale) is in contract under terms that the bank will not accept and are bordering on illegal. Sometimes a realtor has to make the hard decision and explain to his client the reality of the situation. It is our job to on occasion read out clients “ the riot act”. I try not to take the path of least resistance just because it is easier. Yet at times I sit and hold my head in amazement At the actions of my fellow realtors.