Pete Chrzaszcz's (commercialmasterminds) Blog

Kenneth R. Harney in the 5/11/09 Washington Report writes an interesting warning to homebuyers and real estate professionals. Consumers will be experiencing higher costs thanks to the mandatory new appraisal system just put in place by Freddy Mac and Fannie Mae. With major lenders owning most of ...

Just last week, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke appeared before the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress to offer his views on recent economic developments along with the outlook for the economy and current conditions in financial markets. It’s no surprise that the gross domestic product (GDP) dr...

While not all about commercial real estate, I wanted to share an eye-opening video can be seen on the April 17th podcast of Bill Moyer’s interview with David Simon. Simon went from crime beat reporter for the BALTIMORE SUN to award-winning screenwriter of HBO's critically-acclaimed “The Wire”. He...

It's True, Renting Can Make More Sense than Buying in the San Francisco Area While it may sound like an absurdity, the facts bear out the truth that renting can make more sense than buying during a housing market downturn. This is true not only in the San Francisco Area but in many areas across t...

The Internet Media Works provided the speech given by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke at the Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia this April 14th. I was struck by the dismal, yet encouraging prospects presented. He cites today’s ongoing turmoil in the financial markets consequenting the global market r...

Don’t overact. Instead, look over the 4 key areas of apartment ownership: 1. Curb Appeal 2. Turning Apartments 3. Marketing 4. Training Curb Appeal. Make sure your apartment complex is attractive and appealing to passersby. Inexpensive flowers planted by the entrances give immediate punch. Keep t...

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE 101 FOR THE SUPERSTAR RESIDENTIAL AGENT Join us for this new class on Commercial Real Estate and investment analysis basics. If you are a superstar residential agent who wants to understand more about the commercial side of our industry, you need to come to this class!  "Co...

In an article from the 4-1-09 issue of The Exchange from The Chicago Deferred Exchange Company (CDEC), I read where if you have sold property in a Section 1032 exchange and have not yet bought replacement property, best to file an extension for your tax return. If you are in the middle of such an...

A excellent synopsis of the East Bay economic picture can be found in the East Bay Monthly Analysis prepared by the East Bay Development Alliance - February 2009. It includes such information as payroll figures by metropolitan area, unemployment statistics and construction employment. A snapshot ...

While catching up on March’s reading, I spied an encouraging article by Eric Young in the SF Business Times’ 3-6-09 issue. It talks about the stimulus money for CA. It is estimated that CA will be receiving $45 billion from the federal stimulus cash. In addition to the money earmarked for educati...