May 11th-13th Northern California Real Estate Expo: A Must Attend for Real Estate Professionals and Consumers!

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday May 11-13 marks the first annual Nor Cal Real Estate Expo one of the largest and most spectacular real estate events in California. This year’s Expo is being held at the SolanoCounty Fair Grounds in Vallejo. It will be a very important event due to the rich sources of information for both the consumer and real estate professional.

The event will host 9 separate Pavilions:

1. Real Estate Professionals Pavilion: This is for the industry and it will host a networking luncheon, industry workshops, seminars, and guest speakers.

2. Home Buyers & Sellers: Here consumers can learn about buying or selling strategies as well as meet industry professionals who will answer questions.

3. Home Improvement: Demonstrations and workshops for home projects are the focus here.

4. Home Decor: Sources for accessories and home furnishings along with interior decorating ideas will dominate this forum.

5. Garden & Landscape: Outdoor projects for the yard, new products, and project ideas are some of the ideas to be covered here.

6. Home Office Technology: How to set up a home office, products for your productivity, and new office technologies are the focus in this pavilion.

7. Home Entertainment: This will be all about entertaining, catering ideas, and how to set up that great party you always wanted to host.

8. Home Safety: Alarm systems, common sense procedure to secure the home; safety products and service will be provided here.

9. Kid’s Pavilion: A respite for the little ones to play and enjoy their day while Mom & Dad enjoy the big toys.

The following is a list of celebrity speakers and their topics:

*Christopher Lowell host of “The Christopher Lowell Show” on Discovery Home Television.

*Michael Payne host of “Designing for the Sexes” on HGTV.

*Peter Marr host of “My Celebrity Home” on the Style Network.

*Donna & Shannon Freeman hosts of “Designed to Sell” on HGTV.

This should be a great event for more information go to www.norcalrealestateexp.com.

San Francisco Realtor’s Exchange: Commercial Real Estate Mixer Goes to the Ambassador

The San Francisco Realtors’ Exchange aka SF Rex is dedicated to networking for the Bay Area Commercial Real Estate crowd. Held one night a month, this mixer style networking event is a cross between a networking meeting, power lunch, and frat party. Some of the events have keynote speakers imparting industry pertinent information, while the majority of the events are simply cool cocktail parties to let your hair down and meet your contemporaries.

Last night’s event, as reported to me through a business associate, was held at a interesting new bar called the Ambassador at 673 Geary St. The Ambassador is located in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco; today Nob Hill, a very historic and important area to San Francisco’s rise to metropolitan status, is a divided camp.

Upper Nob Hill (Snob Hill to San Franciscans under 50) is where old San Francisco money resides in all it’s glory and gluttony. Tone old residential buildings, audacious architectural monuments to the “Big 4“, and Hotel “Giants” dominate the landscape. A sort of Doris Day playground for the crowd still pissed off smoking is not allowed in restaurants, white gloves are not worn by all women, and brown alcohol is no longer the order of choice.

Lower Nob Hill (Glob Hill to me for the possibilities of things you might step in on the streets) is part of the notorious Tenderloin district of San Francisco. The Tenderloin has a long history of prostitution, flop houses, drug dealing and taking, murder, mayhem, and the general stuff every big city attempts to hide–it’s our crazy uncle we never want to invite to dinner.

Consequently the Ambassador bar resides in “crazy uncle” territory. The bar itself is a retro throwback to the “Rat Pack” era and a tribute to everything Frank, Deano, Sammy, and Peter. From the chandeliers, high boy leather booths, dark interior wood and lighting, you get the feeling the coppers are going to bust into the joint and yell “This is a Raid.” It is quaint, cozy and cool in many ways.

The biggest kick is that each table in the place has a private phone. For all of you chicken wallflowers this is a perfect method of inquiring about a certain someone without leaving your seat. How it might work in networking remains a mystery.

The event itself is very effective for Commercial professionals looking to make new contacts with developers, property managers, leasing agents, office movers, investment analysts, shopping mall developers, title insurance agents, and real estate affiliates servicing the Commercial space.

May 2, Silicon Valley Association of Realtors Marketing Breakfast in Los Gatos: “Never Go Outside of The Family”

Today I attended the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (Silvar) Marketing Meeting at Willow Street Pizza in beautiful downtown Los Gatos. The meeting begins promptly at 8:30am and lasts until 9:45am. The curriculum and rules are the same as the majority of the marketing meetings; a keynote speaker, listings, announcements, coming soon’s, and a review of the upcoming tour. What is not the “same” is the fantastic breakfast and the eclectic host.

What immediately separates this meeting as a pleasure is it’s bountiful and fresh breakfast buffet. For a mere $5.00 you dine on fresh “San Francisco Joe’s” style eggs, bacon, sausage, bagels with cream cheese, a generous fruit cocktail, roasted potatoes, orange juice, yogurt, and coffee. It is fresh and it is delicious!

If the Walnut Creek marketing meeting is known as “one of the most powerful and well attended” and Campbell is known for their “Johnny Carson like President “Rusty”, then Silvar should be characterized by it’s eclectic Willow Street Pizza owner: Michael Jacobi. Michael, a native New Yorker, the size of a tight end, with an acerbic quick wit stands watch over the proceedings. Jacobi has a Vito Corleone aura and the ability to trade barbs faster than a Don Rickles Vegas act.

A recent example outlines Jacobi’s rath. One well established Realtor and friend of Michael’s found out-the hard way. This poor soul had just finished working out so he was in his workout gear. When Michael’s “friend” asked a question of the audience, Michael chimed in quickly with “I’ve got a question. . . Did you mug Richard Simmons?” The crowd went silent as unfortunately for the “friend” his forest green velor running suit and choice of shoes was a close Simmons match.

Even more unfortunate was the fact that I laughed out loud-hard. . . by myself. Do you know that very awkward moment when you are the only one who belts out a shrieking laugh only to notice everyone staring at you? Yeah it was my turn to hear about it.

In his best Corleone impression, Mike fixes his stare on me and retorts: “Hey Fredo never take sides against the family.” The crowd laughed themselves sick. There it was! I was horrified but I was now “made” by the Godfather of Los Gatos. I made my bones and attained official “flunky” status all at once. I mean come on now. . . freakin Fredo?
What I learned that day was that this meeting has a wonderful group of people. Most of these people have been friends and worked diligently in Silicon Valley for years. They are very likeable and open to new friendships and partnerships. Simply put, Los Gatos has a family like atmosphere and “The Family” like atmosphere.

The following is a list of contacts I made today and a few listings presented:

Michele Testa, North American Title Co., Patrick Kitano Domus Consulting Group, Kim Nettleman First American Exchange.

*123 Old Orchard Ct., Los Gatos $1,200,000

*122 Whitney Ave., Los Gatos $1,599,888

*18124 Daves Ave., Los Gatos $3,895,000

*15177 Park Dr., Saratoga $3,999,888

*19635 Redberry Dr., Saratoga $4,998,000

*3673 Gavota Ave., Cambrian $800,000

*68 Sunnyside Ave., Campbell $1,075,000

*300 Union Ave., Campbell $485,000

*208 Watson Dr., Campbell $399,000

*18960 Mcfarland Ave., Saratoga $2,595,000