The DeLeon Insight May 2017
Table of Contents
- DeLeon Realty’s Most Significant Innovation Yet!
- Michael & Ken Go to College
- Playing the Odds
- Neighborhood Spotlights
- Active Spring Market
- Color Trends
- San Francisco – America’s Second City
DELEON REALTY’S MOST SIGNIFICANT INNOVATION YET
by: Michael Repka, ESQ | CEO & General Counsel
We formed DeLeon Realty with the belief that there was a better way to sell real estate and, in doing so, a better way to build a real estate company. We have raised the client experience through offering significantly elevated marketing for our listings; employing exceptionally well-educated and well-trained agents; fostering specialization and collaboration; better aligning incentives by eliminating the commission-based, independent-contractor model that is used at Alain Pinel, Coldwell Banker, Intero, Keller Williams, and most other traditional brokerages; and constantly striving to innovate and improve.
MICHAEL & KEN GO TO COLLEGE
By Michael Repka, ESQ | CEO & General Counsel
Over the years, a number of fantastic teachers and professors have inspired me to push myself, explore varied interests, and maintain a thirst for knowledge. To this day, I owe a debt of gratitude to all of them for the time they devoted to helping me learn and, more importantly, for helping me appreciate the process of learning.
That is why I was both humbled and honored when Menlo College asked me to be an adjunct professor teaching a course on real estate economics and taxation. When I was a young law student, I found some of my classes with adjunct professors particularly interesting because of the “real-life” experience brought into the classroom. Seeing the same excitement in my students’ eyes was truly remarkable.
PLAYING THE ODDS
Spring has arrived, and prospective buyers are out in force throughout Silicon Valley, looking for the perfect place to call home. Springtime is typically the time of year when there are more buyers than homes for sale, and sellers can therefore expect multiple offers.
Most buyers are aware of the limited housing supply, and some buyers may feel anxious about the prospect of losing out on an opportunity to get into their desired neighborhood. Faced with these competitive market conditions, buyers may decide to submit simultaneous offers on multiple properties to increase the odds of getting an offer accepted. However, it is unclear whether buyers who take the multiple-offer gamble have fully considered the possible consequences of this approach.
WHY IS THE SPRING MARKET UNUSUALLY ACTIVE IN 2017?
After a 2016 that was plagued by uncertainty, trepidation, and general lethargy on the part of buyers, the 2017 spring season is off to a strong start. While there are a number of different factors that contribute to the newfound surge of the buyer pool, two causes seem to be the most prevalent.
First, there is a general optimism that seems to abound. The uncertainty associated with the election season in 2016 has given way to surprising optimism. Just like investors in the stock market, many buyers are optimistic that taxes and excess regulations on businesses will come down, and investments in businesses will increase. Given that Silicon Valley is so heavily influenced by investors’ sentiments, this has resulted in many people feeling optimistic while also obtaining a sense of urgency to buy in before prices increase.
COLOR TRENDS 2017
By Lauryn Varnum | Interior Designer
Every year, new trends emerge for color schemes in home design. The majority of previously popular schemes have included muted palettes with soothing, understated colors, such as cool greys, mossy hues, slate, and neutral shades throughout the entirety of a home. It was common to see an entire home painted with colors such as San Francisco Fog, Frost, and Great White. These shades allowed for a calm, uniform scheme oriented towards transitional styles, creating a soft, blank slate capable of appealing to a wide audience.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: AMERICA’S SECOND CITY
By Ken DeLeon, ESQ | Founder
New York City is consistently viewed as the preeminent city in America, and arguably the world. However, the title of “Second City” has been more fluid, in flux from as early as 1890. Chicago was originally dubbed the Second City to illustrate its status in America. When Los Angeles surpassed Chicago in population in 1984, the informal title of Second City transferred to Los Angeles.
While Los Angeles may be the second most populated city, there are a number of reasons that the second region of greatest import in America should not be determined by a population census, but instead by a broad array of critical factors. Given this premise, there are now strong arguments that the San Francisco Bay Area has rightfully wrested this title from both Los Angeles and Chicago, despite their larger populations. This is true if one compares the four metropolitan regions of New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Chicago across several metrics that measure the strength of each region in innovation, education, culture, and wealth.
