Podcast
Homes for Sale

Escrow Out Loud

Elevator phobias (#7), offer strategies (#15), leading real estate economists (#44), real estate jargon explained (#51), and only-in-San-Francisco stories (in every episode). Our podcast, Escrow Out Loud, is a little like driving around in a car with us between properties on a home tour.

Except it’s on your schedule. Listen anywhere, anytime:

 

 

 

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Episode Guide

Doing Business In The Castro

In this episode our guest is San Francisco local business owner, past member of The Castro Merchant Association and current board president of The Castro Street Fair. Meet Jenn Meyer, owner of Local Take, a one-of-kind amazing hand-crafted local artist-maker gallery/gift store. She talks to Matt about owning a business in The Castro, her role supporting the upcoming Castro Street Fair and Why Her One Perfect Bite Has Nacho Cheese It.
What is Local Take, and what do they sell?Jenn's Favorite Neighborhood?What is Castro Street Fair?Who Shops Local Take?What Do Tourists Miss in San Francisco?Differences between Castro and Inner Sunset?Opinion on the Formula Retail?When is Castro Street Fair?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening from your San Francisco real estate friends!
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BONUS: Matt and Kevin’s Market Update


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Cooperation-ish

In this episode our guest is Real estate broker Kevin Birmingham. He's founder and broker of Park North Real Estate and Past-President of the San Francisco Association of Realtors®. With more than 20 years’ experience, clients choose to work with Kevin for his full service, expertise and ethics. Kevin's insight on San Francisco's residential real estate market is unparalleled. He is known for outstanding customer service, high-level marketing techniques, and is a skilled negotiator with his clients’ best interest at heart. Born and raised in San Francisco, Kevin's list of contacts is as impressive as his historical knowledge of the City's unique neighborhoods. Kevin has a degree in economics from Colorado State University. The father of 3 children, Kevin and his wife Terra enjoy Bay Area sports and walks with their dog.
How is Cooperation Amongst Realtors and Their Brokerages Going?Is the Market Slowing Down?How Hard is a Realtor Job?What Has Changed In the Internet Era?What are the Threats to Realtor Associations?Is the MLS in an Orderly Marketplace, or is it a Monopoly?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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Paint By Number with Dr. Color

In this episode our guest is Dr. Color, Bob Buckter. He's provided home color consulting on over 23,000 homes across the world, and more than 17,000 of those are in San Francisco and San Francisco Bay Area. He's responsible for many of the bright, standout colors of some of the city’s most iconic Victorians and Edwardians. We're talking about his beginnings in color consulting, what he likes and what he hates, plus, we'll be getting some great advices and insights about his work. Learn more about his work at drcolor.com
On What Types of Buildings did Dr. Color work?How to Define Good Taste?Why Should We Use Test Colors?What are the Current Trends Right Now?  When Did Colorist Movement Started in San Francisco?What Should You Never Do When Picking Colors?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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Matt Has a Size Problem

In this episode our guest is Feng Shui certified trainer and real estate stager Steve Kodad. He's a former math teacher and successful basketball trainer. He has taught thousands of real estate agents, home stagers and home owners how to sell property quickly using Feng Shui.
What is Feng Shui?What are the Most Common Misconceptions About Feng Shui?How to Make Small Apartment Look Better to be in?How Important is Natural Light in Your Living Space?What are Benefits of Having a Few Plants in Your Living Space?Importance of Artwork in Feng Shui?Which Colors Suit Which Room?What are Steve's Four Big D's?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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It's Complicated, Meet SB9

In this episode our guest is Brett Gladstone, Of Counsel Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad, Harris & McSparran, LLP. For the past 35 years, Brett Gladstone has focused his practice on land use entitlement matters and real estate transactions, along with condominium and subdivision law, Mr. Gladstone represents investors and developers in land-use entitlement proceedings and CEQA compliance with respect to residential and mixed use development throughout the Bay Area. As part of his work, Brett makes regular appearances before Bay Area Planning Commissions, City Councils, Board of Supervisors, and Landmarks Boards. He lectures and writes on a variety of topics, including development entitlements, condominium law, and planned developments. Brett is called on from time-to-time to give expert witness testimony on real estate entitlement matters.
What is SB 9 Law?What Does it Solve?What is the Future of Single-Family Zoning?Is There Anyone Who'd Like to Avoid SB 9?How do Dwelling Unit Built Under SB 9 Differ From ADU's?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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Earthquake Vulnerabilities and Preparing for the Big One

In this episode we are joined by Chief Mitigation Officer for the California Earthquake Authority, Janiele Maffei. She was hired as C.E.A.'s first Chief Mitigation Officer in May 2011, and became their director of research in 2015. Currently her responsibilities include managing the California Residential Mitigation Program and that program's first retrofit incentive program, known as the Earthquake Brace and Bolt Program. On top of all that, she's also responsible for various research projects that will benefit us all through strategic insurance, mitigation, and education goals of the California Earthquake Authority. In our conversation with Janiele, we talk about a lot of topics, including all of the following:
How to manage Earthquake Safety and Earthquake Insurance in San Francisco?What Kind of Houses are Most Vulnerable to Earthquakes in Bay Area?Which are the Top Five Vulnerabilities in Houses?What are Cripple Walls in Buildings?What are Vulnerabilities of Hillside Houses?What Construction Work Should be Done to Make Homes Safer from Earthquakes?How to Retrofit Homes to be Safer in the Future?What and How to Plan for an Earthquake?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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A Chat About the SF Leasing Market with Inna Rubinchik

In this episode we are joined by the Regional Leasing Director at Compass, Inna Rubinchik. You can find her as LeasingAgent415 on social media including her YouTube channel. Check out all of her amazing videos and photos of properties around San Francisco.
These are some of the topics we cover in this episode with Inna:
How it is to Work as a Real Estate Agent in San Francisco?Has the Leasing Market hit the Bottom?Which Neighbourhoods are First or Worst these days?What can You Expect and What are the Prices on the Market?How Much of Her Job is to Help People Correct Misunderstandings of What They See on the Internet?Are There Many Scams on the Market?Is San Francisco a Pet-Friendly City?What is Her Ideal Client?What was the First Deal She Made?
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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A Mighty Solution For A Major Housing Crisis

In this episode we are joined by the Director of Sales at Mighty Buildings, Natalia! Mighty Buildings makes an amazing pre-fab home product that has already been installed and is in use in the bay area, across California, and elsewhere. Pre-fab homes have a ho-hum reputation in the industry, but 3D printing and other technological advances have changed the game in mighty ways. In our conversation with Natalia, we talk about a lot of topics, including all of the following:
What is Mighty Buildings? How is it different from past and other pre-fab?How Much Land Do You Need? Can it be Painted?Where Have Mighty Buildings Already Been Installed?What’s the Lifespan? How about Maintenance and Warranty? What’s the Roof?How Does the American market for pre-fab compare to the global market? How can Mighty Buildings help solve the California Housing Crisis? And, of course, How can You Learn More About a Mighty Home? 
As always, thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast app really makes a difference to our show rankings. Until next time, thanks for listening!
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Bill Drypolcher, SF Real Estate Icon

In this episode Britton and I have a very special guest joining us, one of the four original founders of Zephyr Real Estate. Zephyr is where Britton and I both started in real estate, and some of my earliest memories are of hearing war stories from This industry veteran over lunch in the break room. 
Our guest built Zephyr Real Estate from brand new in 1978 to the largest independent real estate brokerage in San Francisco, with seven offices, more than 300 agents and over $2 billion in annual sales at its peak. While serving as President of Zephyr his creative leadership approach celebrated the company’s unique independent spirit - a driving force in its success. In 2020, Zephyr Real Estate became Corcoran Global Living, a franchisee of Corcoran Real Estate, and sadly, the end of the Zephyr brand.
Now retired from day to day operations and enjoying his time split between Hawaii and California, our guest was once a collegiate wrestler, is a US military veteran, a fellow Past President of the San Francisco Association of Realtors, and is also a husband and father. Joining us today from Hawaii is a man we’ve long personally admired, Bill Drypolcher. Welcome Bill, let’s jump into this!  


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Real Estate Racism in 2021 with Nate Johnson

Almost a year ago another broker, my dear friend and fellow David-in-an-industry-of-Goliath’s, Kevin Birmingham, made an off-handed comment he knew I wouldn’t be able to let go about a proposition our state trade group promoted in the 1960s. Today’s episode wraps up the three-part series that grew out of that 2020 conversation. A quick review if you are just joining us:
In episode 108 my friend and retired real estate broker Don Saunders helped us understand the fair housing massacre of the 1963 Rumford Act by 1964’s state ballot initiative known as Proposition 14 that was sponsored, written, and supported by my state trade association now known as the California Association of Realtors. The outcome of that November 1964 election truly changed the course of American history in ways that impact us to this day. 
Episode 109 begins with a powerful statement from the 2021 President of the California Association of Realtors, Dave Walsh. One community activist and four Realtors then discuss the progress, setbacks, and impacts of racism in the bay area. It’s a lively roundtable that tells a more complete story than you’ve likely heard or told yourself about housing racism in the bay area. Yes, even in tree-hugging progressive San Francisco we have a deep history of housing racism.
That ends our recap, and brings us to our final podcast in this series. 

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One Community Activist & Four REALTORS® Discuss Racism

Episode 109 Panelists, listed alpha by last name:
Dena Aslanian-WilliamsRealtor Extraordinaire. Don't let this short bio fool you, she's a phenomenal REALTOR! with Compass Real Estate at the time of publication.
Kevin BirminghamFounder, Park North Real EstateA west-side San Francisco native, Kevin is a Past President (2018) of the San Francisco Association of Realtors, the founder of Park North Real Estate, and has consistently performed in the top 1% of agents nationwide. Kevin has a degree in economics from Colorado State University, raising three kids in the city with his wife Terra. When not rabble-rousing for a fairer city, Kevin is a huge Bay Area sports fan and can be found out walking the family dog.
Tia HunnicuttMarried for 30 years, mother of three. *Licensed as a Broker since 2009*Past President of the Oakland Association of Realtors*Immediate Past Chair of Bridge MLS*CAR Region 6 Chair*CAR Executive Committee*Coldwell Banker International President's Circle*Coldwell Banker Global Luxury*NAR certifications and designations: Accredited Buyer Representative, E-Pro, Pricing Strategy Advisor, Short-Sales and Foreclosures Resource, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, At Home with Diversity, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

Dr. Veronica HunnicuttCommunity Advocate and ActivistFormer Educator at San Francisco Unified School District (in the Engineering and English Departments)Former Educator and Administrator at City College of San Francisco (English Department/Chair of African American Studies/Dean of the Southeast Campus/Dean of the Office of Student Affairs)Former Member of the Mayor's Citizens Advisory Committee for Community DevelopmentCommissioner on the Commission on the Status of WomenCommissioner on the San Francisco Housing AuthorityChair, Minnie and Lovie Park CRC ( Parks and Recreation site)Founding Board Member, Alliance for GirlsChair, Citizens Advisory Committee for the ShipyardCEO, HG Inc. Recipient of various Community Awards and CommendationsProud Mother of Tia HunnicuttAllen M. OkamotoBroker/Owner, T. Okamoto & Co. GRI, SRES, CIPS CRB, CRSWe are a small boutique real estate brokerage in San Francisco's Japantown. Although our primary market is Japanese we service almost all of the Bay Area Counties. We specialize in single family homes, condos and small apartments. We also have a very active property management department.Over the past 30 plus years I have been involved in fair housing and diversity issues at the San Francisco, California and National Association of Realtors. At SFAR I formed the Asian Council which made the association a more friendly place for Asians to express their collective views. I was the first elected member of the board of directors and the first Asian President of the Board.At the California Association of Realtors, I founded the International Forum where Realtors could explore opportunities in foreign countries and to learn about their customs and cultures. I also chaired the Equal Opportunity Cultural Diversity committee.At the National Association of Realtors, I was on the work force that developed the "AT Home with Diversity" designation. I was the Chair of the Fair Housing Forum and the first chair of the Equal Opportunity committee.In 2003 I was part of the group that formed the Asian Real Estate Association of America AREAA, the first national Asian real estate organization. We now have over 17,000 members and 42 chapters across the United States and Canada. We are the largest Asian membership organization in the United States.I currently serve on the California Association of Realtors Fair Housing & Diversity Task Force. 

An Apology From the National Association of REALTORS® for our past discriminatory behavior at the National board level.


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Prop 14: The California Fair Housing Massacre of 1964

Join our host, San Francisco Real Estate Brokerage Co-Founder Matt Fuller, for a more honest-than-usual conversation about racism in California Real Estate with his friend, retired real estate broker, and fellow SFAR Past President, Don Saunders.
The first in a three part series, we begin in 1963 and the passage of the Rumford Fair Housing Act, and the response from the California Real Estate Association (CREA) now known as the California Association of Realtors (CAR). 1964’s state ballot initiative known as Proposition 14 was sponsored, written, and supported by the California Association of Realtors.
The outcome of that November 1964 election truly changed the course of American history in ways that impact us to this day. Join me in understanding the battle for fair housing in 1960s California, how it impacts us to this day, and what we can do to help change things in 2021.
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Intermediate Length Occupancy Rental Law in San Francisco

Today's guest is Brett Gladstone, Esq., 62, is a San Francisco attorney and serves as an appointee of Governor Newsom on the California Architects Board.  After graduating Harvard College magna cum laude, he earned a JD degree from Duke University School of Law in 1983. He has been a San Francisco real estate attorney for 36 years. After 8 years as a partner at Hanson Bridgett, Gladstone has become Of Counsel to Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad, Harris & McSparran, a San Francisco law firm.  Mr. Gladstone regularly writes and lectures on local real estate laws and issues (including condominium law) and advises his clients on land development and real estate transactions throughout the Bay Area. 
Today's topic is Intermediate Length Occupancy Rental Law in San Francisco, a new law that was passed in response to political outrage over 2100 Market St. and other similar projects, many of which appear to be in challenging financial times because of the ongoing pandemic.
A guide to jargon and agencies mentioned in this podcast:
ILO Law - Intermediate Length Occupancy Law (rentals between 30 days and 1 year) in effect June 2022
NOV - Notice of Violation
UDU - Unwarranted Dwelling Units -space that is indicates that its legality is not verified by the Department of Building Inspectionhttps://default.sfplanning.org/plans-and-programs/planning-for-the-city/accessory-dwelling-units/Legalization_FactSheet-091017.pdf
COPA - Community Opportunty to Purchase Act  https://sfmohcd.org/community-opportunity-purchase-act-copa
Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad, Harris & McSparran - https://g3mh.com/
SF Board of Supervisors  https://sfgov.org/agency/board-supervisors
SF Planning Commission https://sfplanning.org/
SF Department of Building Inspection https://sfdbi.org/
SF Office of Short-Term Rentals  https://sfplanning.org/office-short-term-rentals
Small Property Owners of SF https://www.smallprop.org/
Coalition for Better Housing http://cbhsf.org/
SF Apartment Association  https://sfaa.org/
Urban Displacement Project https://www.urbandisplacement.org/
San Francisco Real Estate Brokers, Jackson Fuller: https://jacksonfuller.com/

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Architectural Photography with David Eichler

Pictures taken by a skilled photographer can tell you more about a building than hundreds of words of description can. Today’s guest is David Eichler.
David is an architectural photographer who also has a familial link to Northern California’s property market through is grandfather, Joseph Eichler. Joseph was one of the most iconic property developers in the area in the 20th century. Listen in to the episode to hear David talk about the ins and outs of architectural photography, the family history, and how that history affects David’s work and worldview.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:What architectural photography isWhy architectural photography is in a class by itselfHow long the average shoot lastsHow long David has been doing photography professionallyDavid’s first cameraThe best and worst parts of architectural photography as a jobThe most challenging shoot David has ever had to doWhether David has favorite pictures that he’s takenHow David’s grandfather, Joseph Eichler, influenced his view of architectureJoseph Eichler’s stand against racismWhat it’s like to have a recognizable last name in the industryHow David’s view of his grandfather’s buildings have changed over timeThe biggest misunderstanding that persists about David’s grandfather
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Home Shopping In a Wheelchair

What does “accessibility” really mean? Are homes that are labeled accessible really as accessible as they need to be? These are hot topics in today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud. Today’s guest is Andrew Gurza, a disability activist from Toronto. In the conversation today, Andrew talks about his own experience as a person with disabilities, the value of hiring and listening to people with disabilities, why “accessible” real estate (and other facilities) often aren’t nearly accessible enough, and why everyone needs to be aware of how disability will affect their own lives.
Topics Discussed in This EpisodeAndrew’s disability awareness workHow Andrew ended up in his careerWhat Andrew’s home is likeHow long Andrew has been in his home and how he found itHow Andrew feels about the word “accessible”Accessibility standards in San Francisco real estateHow “accessible” homes are often not truly accessibleHow accessibility restricts the parts of a city disabled people can live in and the types of homes they can live inWhy people may not like to think about accessibilityHow the ADA does or doesn’t apply to residential real estateThe importance of talking to people with disabilities about their disabilitiesThe value of hiring disabled peopleThe top things that the real estate industry can do to accommodate people with disabilities
Related LinksAndrew GurzaAndrew on TwitterAndrew on Instagram

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What to Know About Market Activity in SF During Covid-19

How's the market performing during covid 19?
With about five weeks of shelter-in-place, we take a look at what's happened to market activity in San Francisco.
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What's Your Idea of a Virtual Tour?

A look at virtual tours in the real estate industry during the SF shelter-in-place directive updated March 31, 2020.
The pertinent real estate guidance from that document is below:
Paragraph 13 Section f Paragraph x:
Service providers that enable residential transactions (including rentals, leases, and home sales), including, but not limited to, real estate agents, escrow agents, notaries, and title companies, provided that appointments and other residential viewings must only occur virtually or,if a virtual viewing is not feasible, by appointment with no more than two visitors at a time residing within the same household or living unit and one individual showing the unit (except that in person visits are not allowed when the occupant is still residing in the residence); 
What is a virtual tour?
Why can't I find information online about virtual tours?
What should I do to be ready for a virtual tour?

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The End of Open Homes?

Is Covid-19 the end of open homes in San Francisco?
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Property Taxes Postponed

The payment of the second installment of property taxes in San Francisco is delayed until May 4, 2020.
Then we go down the rabbit hole in search of how the due dates came to be, where May 4 comes from, and what is likely to happen between now and then.
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