The East Bay Real Estate Podcast | Inside The East Bay Housing Market

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! The “overnight success” story almost never is, and Kenny Troung is refreshingly blunt about that. He walked into real estate through recession-era odd jobs, then built a career by outworking the basics and obsessively testing distribution, from early IDX websites and blogging to Redfin partner insights, YouTube walkthroughs, newslet...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Insurance shocks, SB 326 balcony repairs, HOA dues, and shifting lending rules have turned the Inner East Bay condo market into a maze. We wanted a simple one-year check-in with Kerri Naslund-Monday , but the data forced a harder question: are condos truly “down,” or are we watching a fragmented market where some buildings are quiet...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Mortgage rates can feel random until you trace the chain back to the bond market, oil prices, and political decisions that hit confidence like a hammer. We sit down in Berkeley with Faramarz Mooeen-Ziai of FMZ Loans to talk about what really changed over the past year, why a brief window of rates in the 5s disappeared overnight, and...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! “Real estate hacks” sound tempting right up until you’re the one holding a buyer’s stress, a seller’s memories, and a decision that can’t be undone. I sit down with East Bay powerhouse Anja Plowright to unpack what actually builds a durable real estate career in Berkeley, Oakland, and beyond: process consistency, grounded communicat...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! The smartest edge in a choppy market isn’t a flashy rate quote, it’s certainty. We sat down with Brady Thomas, owner of LaSalle Mortgage, to map how real buyers win: a fully underwritten pre-approval, a lender who calls the listing agent, and a plan that balances affordability with speed to close. Along the way, we translate rate no...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! A half-mile of flying embers can decide your home’s fate, but the real battle is won within five feet of your walls. We sat down with Assistant Fire Chief Colin Arnold to unpack Zone Zero, why AB 38 already shapes East Bay home sales, and how clear, science-backed steps can protect families, preserve escrows, and ease insurance head...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What if joy at work is less about perks and more about practice? I sit down with Berkeley entrepreneur and mentor Jerry Beckerman to trace a path from a bustling Telegraph Avenue cookie shop to Passion Spark, his Socratic-based program that helps people connect what they love to how they earn. We talk about the discipline of imagina...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Jeff Lipton and I discuss how the January 1, 2026, changes to its Building Energy Saving Ordinance (BESO) are about to reshape how Berkeley homes change hands, and we wanted to make the path clear. We break down the upcoming changes, and explain exactly what sellers must do, what buyers can expect, and why smart planning can turn a...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What if your marketing got simpler, your leads got warmer, and your days felt lighter? That’s the promise behind our deep-dive with operations-minded strategist Jeff Lipton , whose approach turns a referral-first business into a steady, scalable machine. We start with the foundation most agents skip: ruthless focus. Pick a narrow ge...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! The quiet weeks of late fall decide your first quarter. We bring on Janine Hunt , team leader, past association president, and current MLS chair, to show exactly how to turn seasonal goodwill into a steady pipeline without feeling salesy or stretched thin. Think of this as your practical reset: a clear distinction between sphere and...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when the noise gets louder than the work? I invited the ever-candid Herman Chan to cut through the hype and talk honestly about what it takes to build a meaningful real estate career right now, where brand still shapes outcomes, regulations keep shifting, and clients are more anxious than ever. We trace Herman’s journey...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Two twenty-somethings, high stakes, and a market that refuses to sit still. I sit down with Emma Dolgin (The Grubb Company) and Ellen Martinez (Compass) to unpack what it really takes to build a real estate career in your early 20s. No TV gloss, just the moves that matter. From first deals during the 2021 frenzy to the humbling slow...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! When the Federal Reserve announces a rate cut, why do mortgage rates sometimes go up instead of down? This puzzling financial paradox sits at the heart of my insightful conversation with mortgage expert Evelyn Freitas of Guaranteed Rate . Drawing from over two decades of industry experience, Evelyn takes us behind the curtain of how...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when you combine authentic passion for unique homes with consistent content creation? Roland Osage's journey from barber to real estate powerhouse with over 220,000 TikTok followers provides a masterclass in building a thriving business through social media. Roland's path to real estate success began unexpecte...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Dive into the captivating underbelly of East Bay history with Liam O'Donoghue, the passionate storyteller behind the acclaimed podcast East Bay Yesterday. From corrupt political beginnings to cultural transformations, this conversation unveils the hidden forces that shaped Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and beyond. Did you know...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when you combine in-depth construction knowledge, real estate expertise, and authentic social media content? For Ellie Ridge , it created a phenomenon that transformed her from a recently laid-off Meta employee to a successful realtor with 234,000 Instagram followers in just two years. This conversation takes us through...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when data nerds dive deep into the Inner East Bay real estate market? Aman Daro, Director of Operations at the Grubb Company, returns to the podcast armed with comprehensive MLS data that reveals surprising trends shaping our local housing landscape. The numbers tell a fascinating story of market bifurcation. While home...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when you combine 27 years of real estate expertise, theatrical directing, and PhD-level thinking? You get the incomparable Andrea Gordon.  Andrea doesn't just sell homes – she tackles challenging client psychology head-on. "Nobody in their right mind wants to spend over a million dollars on anything," she...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What actually makes mortgage rates rise and fall? If you've been waiting for the Federal Reserve to cut rates before buying a home, you might be watching the wrong signals entirely. Mortgage expert Faramarz Moeen-Ziai pulls back the curtain on the complex world of mortgage rate determination, revealing why there isn't a di...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What makes the difference between surviving and thriving in today's real estate landscape? Felicia Mares-Villa has figured it out, scaling the team she co-founded to eight agents in just one year while mastering the ever-shifting world of social media marketing. In this conversation brimming with actionable insights, Felicia re...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! When Rachel Melby moved to El Cerrito she created an Instagram account to document her discoveries in this charming Bay Area community. What began as personal exploration blossomed into IG's " The Little Hill " – a thriving online community celebrating local treasures, architecture, and neighborhood events. What Rache...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Kerri Naslund-Monday returns to discuss the struggling Inner East Bay condo market, revealing how properties have lost a decade of appreciation. The Inner East Bay condo market has experienced what Kerri calls "four punches" that have seen demand and values decline. Properties that once commanded premium prices are now sel...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! My journey from Dublin, Ireland to becoming a successful East Bay real estate agent unfolds in this colorful conversation with David Gunderman, part of David's series of live audience conversations titled 'Humble Beginnings'. With hesitant and uncharacteristic candor I explain how my path was anything but straightforw...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! Berkeley's revised energy savings ordinance and a proposed fire safety ordinance will significantly impact homeowners and real estate transactions starting January 2026. Third-generation Berkeley resident and REALTOR® Megan Micco shares essential details about the changes, compliance requirements, and strategies for navigating...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text! What happens when one of the world's most prestigious news organizations publishes a deeply flawed hit piece on an entire profession? That's exactly what Declan Spring and guest, José Fernández , addresses in this response to The New York Times Daily podcast episode "The Housing Market Has New Rules. Realtors Are Evad...