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San Francisco Real Estate: Escrow Out Loud
Meet Kevin Birmingham
Season 4, Ep. 91
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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk to Kevin Birmingham, owner of Park North Real Estate. Kevin Birmingham and Matt Fuller both started in SF real estate around the same time (a long, long time ago) and over the years an unlikely friendship has developed. Matt and Kevin served together on the Board of Directors for the SF Real Estate Board, with Kevin serving as 2018 President and Matt as 2017 President. Join us for a great conversation with one of San Francisco real estate's most independent voices.
[00:21] Park North Real Estate is one of San Francisco’s newest independent brokerages. Kevin takes us through why he decided to start his own brokerage. Also, how did its name come to be?
[04:15] Kevin is a rare creature. He is a San Francisco native, growing up on the westside of San Francisco in the West Portal neighborhood, although at the time it was just called "The Sunset." Kevin talks a bit about what it was like back then and how the city he knew has moved to Colma.
[07:53] Matt asks Kevin for some San Francisco real estate predictions for this year. There are a lot of people with money coming to San Francisco. Kevin explains this seems to be a worldwide phenomenon; people are flocking to the big cities.
[10:20] We chat about the ‘08-’09 drop in real estate. Those were hard times. While this is not what we are seeing now, are we going to be seeing more reasonable prices in San Francisco?
[12:30] When the stock market takes a hit, the real estate market starts looking more like a safer investment. You have to look long term, however.
[14:01] Why you should never try to buy at the bottom of the market and sell at the height of the market? Kevin explains his take on the seasonal cycle of real estate.
[15:50] Is Kevin a San Franciscan, or a janitor? (on a side note, we adore his wife!)
[16:59] San Francisco is a place where you can be anything you want, so Matt asks why Kevin chose to be a realtor?
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