Victor Makras's Schools

• San Mateo College , Class of 1982 Received a in Real Estate Courses

Victor Makras's Publications

• First-time Buyer's Guide to Real Estate, Part 2 January, 2011 by Victor Makras First-time Buyer’s Guide to Real Estate, Part 1 here Our buyer’s guide concludes with five more tips to aid you in buying your first home. Tip #4: Browsing for Homes At last you are ready for the fun part of the buying process: browsing homes. Talk with your real estate agent and ask him or her to provide you with information concerning all homes within your price range and preferred location. Spend some time looking through the information he or she provides; then choose the homes you wish to visit and ask your agent to arrange showings. Your agent will accompany you to each showing and point out the home’s features. Tip #5: Make an Offer When you have decided on a home, inform your agent that you want to make an offer. He or she will direct you through the offer process, which entails naming a price, terms, possible negotiation and inspection(s), and other miscellaneous factors. Tip #6: Conduct an Inspection Although home inspections are not required for sales in all states, you may want to enlist the services of a professional to perform a thorough examination of your potential home, in order to confirm that electrical wiring, roofing, and other elements of the building are safe and compliant with building codes. In the event that your inspector finds that significant work needs to be done, you or your agent can negotiate with sellers and ask that certain repairs be made before you buy the home, or that repair costs be deducted from the price. But once you are the owner, all repairs are your responsibility, so make sure to learn about all necessary maintenance before signing contracts. Tip #7: The Closing Process Begins After acceptance of your offer and completion of the home inspection, the closing process begins. During this time, all necessary details will be arranged. Your agent should have copious experience in closing sales and will guide you through each step of the process. The closing generally involves and escrow holder who will cordinate the closing betweeen buyer, seller, and Lender. Tip #8: After Closing When the closing process ends, you are declared a homeowner. Congratulations! Pack up your belongings, buy some new furniture, move in, and enjoy your new home.

• San Francisco during the Gold Rush April, 2011 Victor Makras, a successful real estate executive with more than 20 years of experience, currently serves as the President of Makras Real Estate in San Francisco, California. Before the beginning of the California gold rush in 1848, San Francisco existed as a small trade outpost and home to the Spanish Mission San Francisco de Asís, now known as Mission Dolores. The United States assumed control of the territory in the wake of the Mexican-American War, 25 years after Mexico declared independence from Spain and claimed California in 1821. The discovery of California gold in 1848 led to a large influx of people to the San Francisco area. The population of San Francisco increased dramatically between January 1848 and December 1849, growing from 1,000 to 25,000 people. A number of businesses began in San Francisco to serve the rapidly expanding population, including Levi Strauss & Co., Wells Fargo, and Ghirardelli. In addition to a large number of prospectors from the Eastern United States, many immigrants from China came to San Francisco to work on the transcontinental railroad or in the gold mines. Today, 20 percent of the San Francisco population is Chinese, one of the largest Chinese settlements outside China. The environment in San Francisco during the height of the gold rush was highly chaotic, with rampant crime, absentee law enforcement, and a corrupt government. Many residents formed Committees of Vigilance, which acted as de facto law enforcement and governmental oversight agencies. These groups were responsible for the lynching of 12 people, kidnapping of Irish immigrants and government officials, and forcing the resignations of public officials. Although these Committees relinquished power in 1851 and 1856 after determining that the city had been “cleaned up,” subsequent mob activity targeted Chinese immigrants and pushed the creation of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which placed quotas on Chinese immigration to San Francisco.

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