The Mostly Real Estate Podcast, with Declan Spring | Inside The East Bay Housing Market

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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 how real estate pros can stay useful to clients when the headlines keep shifting.

FM also walks through what it looks...

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“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 communication, and the kind of personal growth that makes clients feel safe when everything feels chaotic.

We talk about how the business has evolved from paper d...

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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 noise into plain English: the Fed doesn’t set mortgages, the 10-year Treasury and risk spread do, and trust in institutions shapes bond demand...

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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 headaches.

We walk through exactly where Berkeley’s rules apply—focusing on the very high fire hazard zones in the Grizzly Peak and Panora...

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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 imagination, the real meaning of risk across body, feelings, and spirit, and simple ways to turn rote tasks into play so the work sustains you...

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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 compliance task into a market advantage.

First, we clarify what a Home Energy Report and HER score actually measure, how the score becomes...

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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 geography. Define your ideal client persona. Choose the property type you’ll master. That clarity sets the course for everything—content, channels, intake, and even what you stop doing.

From t...

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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 pipeline, the messaging each one needs, and a simple cadence you can keep even when life gets loud.

We dig into systems for relationship-based growth...

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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 from corporate and TV pilots to a long, resilient practice, and why he ultimately chose local, personal, and sustainable over scale and spectacle. We...

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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 slowdown that followed, Emma and Ellen share how they learned fast on strong teams, built trust through consistency, and kept cash flow sane when...

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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 mortgage rates actually work. She reveals the crucial distinction between the Fed's backward-looking policy decisions (made eight times yearly) and the real-time bond market activity that...

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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 unexpectedly when he purchased his first home at just 19 years old. After witnessing significant appreciation without making improvements, his curiosity was piqued. While working as a barber in San Francisco, he began exploring property flipping...

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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 Oakland's first mayor essentially stole the town? Horace Carpentier, a shrewd lawyer turned politician, manipulated his way into ownership of Oakland's valuable waterfront before selling it to railroad barons for personal profit. This foundation of...

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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 Ellie's fascinating journey, beginning with her unique background. As the daughter of a master roof framer (and later home inspector), Ellie grew up absorbing valuable knowledge about building structures that would eventually...

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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 homes priced below $500,000 struggle to maintain value (selling 7% below asking on average), properties in the $1-2 million range are thriving at 22% over asking price. Even more striking, the...

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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 explains. When buyers find a home they love, their faces don't show joy but fear as they immediately begin creating obstacles. "Part of our service is pushing them off a little cliff," Andrea sha...

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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 direct correlation between Fed actions and the rates homebuyers actually see. Drawing on over 21 years of industry experience, including surviving the 2008 financial crisis, Faramarz explains how the bond...

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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 reveals how Instagram's algorithm has fundamentally changed—it's no longer about follower counts but whether your content gets saved and shared. She explains why TikTok's superior geo-tagging makes it particularly valuable fo...

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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 Rachel couldn't have anticipated was how this authentic community-building would later become the foundation for her successful real estate career.

Rachel's journey represents what many agents aspire to but few achieve: converting genuine community engagement in...

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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 selling at levels not seen since 2014 — or in some cases, 2007. This represents a reversal of fortune that's reshaping the market landscape.

Declan and Kerri dissect these market-altering forces: COVID's de...

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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 straightforward.

Born in 1972 in suburban Dublin, I found myself in San Francisco at age 20 thanks to a quirk of immigration policy—the Morrison visa lottery. My early years in America paint a picture of 1990s...

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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 these new regulations.

• BESO (Berkeley Energy Savings Ordinance) will require actual energy efficiency improvements rather than just assessments starting January 1, 2026.
• Properties must achieve six credits from a menu of energy upgrade options or place a $5,000 deposit in escrow at closi...

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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 Evading Them."

They examine and dismantle the NYT's reporting, exposing fundamental misunderstandings about how real estate actually works in America. From the false portrayal of NAR as a regulatory bo...

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Ever wonder what makes East Bay real estate so unique? Meet Mark Choi, a data-driven agent who's been meticulously documenting every property he visits since 2004. In this conversation, Mark explains why he tours up to 36 homes on broker tour day and how his two decades of records offer rare insights into our market.

We dive into the East Bay’s unusual pricing strategy—where homes often sell 40-150% over asking—and Mark recalls an El Cerrito listing that sold for 200% of lis...

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What happens when global politics, tariff wars, and housing policy collide? Mortgage expert Dominic Villa pulls back the curtain on today's chaotic lending landscape, revealing truths that every homeowner and buyer needs to understand.

When the stock market plunges but mortgage rates inexplicably rise, something unprecedented is happening. Dominic breaks down this counterintuitive financial paradox, explaining how China's massive holdings of US debt create a precarious situation where tariff policies could potentially send mortgage rates skyrocketing above 10%. This isn't fearmongering—it...

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Let Freemodel remove the barriers to pre-sale renovations.

Lara Richmond from Freemodel reveals how pre-sale renovations with no upfront costs can transform properties and maximize sale prices, sharing real examples of homes that gained hundreds of thousands in added value through strategic improvements.

Watch our companion video segment here

• Freemodel funds and manages pre-sale renovations with payment deferred until closing
• Ideal for homeowners with equity but no available cash for improvements
• Project managers handle everyt...

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In this episode, we break down the heated debate over the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) and its latest update. The policy, which requires Realtors to list publicly marketed properties on the MLS within one business day, has sparked division within the industry. We explore both sides of the argument, from claims of increased transparency and fairness to concerns about restricted competition and broker autonomy.

Plus, we dive into NAR’s latest policy shift—the introduction of “De...

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Josh Dickinson is not your typical broker! As a trained environmental engineer holding three advanced degrees—including an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame—Josh’s approach to real estate is anything but conventional.

After spending 15 years working with leading environmental firms and nonprofits, and successfully fundraising millions for one of the nation’s top universities, Josh discovered a true c...

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"Specialty: Tough deals and strategic negotiation. I thrive in negotiations!"

Kerri Naslund-Monday is not your average REALTOR®. She's an entrepreneur through and through. 

To learn more about Kerri, or to reach out to her, visit her website here.

"I grew up in the late 1970s-early 1980s, when video games were either unavailable or too pricey for my welfare-dependent family. So I played board games; Monopoly was my favorite. I developed my own version of the game, wi...

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“A well thought out estate plan is an act of love for yourself and your beneficiaries”. So says my guest Loulena Miles. 

Loulena Miles has been practicing law as a licensed California Attorney since 2003.  In our conversation today we will be discussing a very thin slice of California law - stepped-up tax basis. Loulena was a guest previously, on episode 32 of the show, when our conversation covered the basics of estate planning, and the different main documents that are involved in an...

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It’s a lovely weekend to visit Open Homes!

We’re  happy to provide a complete list of *all Inner-East Bay open homes for this weekend, please click here.

*Areas covered: Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito, Richmond, El Sobrante, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett.

For Open Homes limited mostly to the Berkeley area, we're happy to share the ‘Adreview’. The Adreview is a private Berkeley publication of open homes. It has a pleasant f...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text!

It’s a lovely weekend to visit Open Homes!

We’re  happy to provide a complete list of *all Inner-East Bay open homes for this weekend, please click here.

*Areas covered: Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito, Richmond, El Sobrante, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett.

For Open Homes limited mostly to the Berkeley area, we're happy to share the ‘Adreview’. The Adreview is a private Berkeley publication of open homes. It has a pleasant format but is by no mea...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text!

It’s a lovely weekend to visit Open Homes!

Quick shout out to Kevin Roose, co-host of The NY Times podcast Hard Fork, along with Casey Newton, and my guest on Episode 16 of the podcast, for keeping their audience current on what's happening on the wild frontier of tech, and the inspiration for the format of this Weekend Open Homes & Market Analysis.

We’re  happy to provide a complete list of *all Inner-East Bay open homes for this weeke...

Ideas for the show or to want just to support us? Send us a text!

During his almost 30 years in real estate, David Gunderman has become the most successful agent in his area, a true industry leader, and in 2022, the Gunderman Group became the third-highest volume producing group in all of Keller Williams. 

Dedicated to the “chosen family” model of business, David has gathered a team with deep roots in the community—a group of highly-skilled professionals who believe that every choice, every decision, every action they take must be steeped in strategy, awareness, and respect...

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It's been two weeks since my last podcast, The Dawn Of A New Era of Real Estate Practice. I recorded that podcast on the eve of August 17, a day before new rules came into effect from the National Association of REALTORS® that decouple compensation to the Buyer's Broker from the Residential Listing Agreement, and most Multiple Listing Services, and put the burden of responsibility for compensation to the Buyer's Broker on the Buyer in the form of a Buyer Representation and Broker C...

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Starting August 17 we enter into a new era of real estate practice in terms of how the buyer's broker gets compensated for the hard work of the individual buyer’s agent.

There's a lot of information packed into this short episode. For convenience, please find a transcript to the episode here.

I’m going to keep strictly to the facts here. This is not the right time or place to offer an opinion, or to speculate about how all...

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Carrie McAlister is a top producing East Bay Realtor®, founder of Calia Homes, and Team Leader for the newest Keller Williams office in Berkeley, branded as Bay Area Portfolio.

This is a conversation about the newest Keller Williams office at 2089 Rose St, in Berkeley where my team, The Home Factor, is now housed. Keller Williams has taken a different approach to how this office looks, feels, and operates.

Carrie and I talk about her career to this point, h...

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Jodi Nishimura is a top producing East Bay Realtor® and the founder of Kai Real Estate.

Jodi has earned several distinctions both locally and nationally. Most recently, she is in the top 1% of Realtors® for the East Bay and was a recipient of Real Trends America’s “Best” designation — landing her in the top 0.5% of all real estate agents nationwide.

Jodi and I talk her upbringing in Hawaii, her background in education, and her eventual move to the Bay Area a...

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Pleasure and joy might be deemed frivolous by society at large but according to Katie Macks they are your birthright.

Katie Macks is a leadership coach, and her brand is Audacious Leadership.

From Katie's website: "Audacious leadership values our differences and creates an environment of belonging. We value and fortify one another with dignity, respect, and love and we’re changing the way business gets done! We are ushering in a new paradigm of leadership and bu...

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"Few things in life motivate me more than helping others get along more effectively. The core of everything I do rests firmly on a foundation of collaboration and collaborative problem-solving."

So says Shawn Dunning, my guest on this episode of the podcast, a collaborative leadership, conflict resolution, & team development consultant.

Shawn and I spend the first half of our conversation discussing his deep dive into local politics in 2022. Shawn ran for Mayor of the City of Richmond as...