ABOUT AUTHORS
Mike — Senior Writer OC Housing News Network
I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. My grandparents move out here from Michigan in the 1940′s when Los Angeles was still very agricultural, purchased a home, and lived in the same house for the rest of their lives.
While growing in the 80′s my Dad, for supplementary income, would flip homes. It was very interesting to me and I still can remember the individual homes that my Dad had purchased to flip. Usually, he would have someone come and install new carpet, put on a fresh coat of paint, and then just hang out a for sale sign . It was very easy during this period in California.
While studying at Cal Poly Pomona I took more a formal class on Real Estate that included finance, rent, mortgages, cap rates, cash flows, and other basic topics. I thought I was armed with knowledge, however the real education started when me and few friends purchased our first investment property in 2000. Since that time I’ve flipped some homes with these guys and purchased some long-term assets. Then in 2005 I noticed real estate market just acting irrational. At this time I was studying to obtain my broker’s license.
At that point I started researching such things as option ARM’s, sub prime loans, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, hedge funds, mortgage backed securities, mortgages adjusting, mortgages recasting, stated income loans, and so many other topics. Many of these issues and topics were being discussed almost exclusively on the Internet. After awhile I started to blog my opinions on the advise of several friends. That small blog now as lead me to Orange County Housing News and I am excited to be a writer on this website and to discuss the every changing environment of Orange County Real Estate with it’s readers.
Larry Roberts, also known as Irvine Renter
info@ochousingnews.com
Lic. 01868521
Who I Am
I worked with real estate my entire career as a development project manager, land planner, and investment fund manager. I am passionate about real estate and the analysis of real estate markets. As a consultant to the land development industry, I worked on the evaluation, acquisition, design, entitlement, construction, management, and disposition of over $100 million in real estate assets including tax-credit apartments, master planned communities, subdivisions, golf courses, clubhouses, exotic resorts, and of course, single-family detached homes.
I earned a Master of Science in Land Development from Texas A&M University, and obtained a real estate brokers license in California (01868521). I have twenty years experience working in a variety of real estate related businesses, and two years managing real estate investment funds focusing on foreclosure properties. I purchased, renovated, rented, and sold more than 50 foreclosure properties in Las Vegas.
My expertise in real estate is documented in daily posts and in my book, The Great Housing Bubble. I publicly predicted the collapse of house prices and worked diligently for years to convince people not to buy housing while prices declined; I saved countless families from financial ruin in the process. 
As prices dropped to affordable levels, my attention turned to helping people navigate the treacherous waters of real estate acquisition and sales. I believe that without my help, many people would not receive the honest service and accurate analysis they deserved. After helping people ignore the Siren’s Song of unlimited real estate wealth and avoid crashing on the foreclosure rocks, I could not abandon them when the time came to finally get the home they had been waiting for. Therefore, I teamed up with Shevy Akason in 2009. He and his team of dedicated agents have been serving OC Housing News readers ever since.
Where I’m Going
I am personally committed to constant improvement in everything I do. Over the years, my blogging hobby has grown and prospered. The depth, scope, and quality of the information I provide has consistently upgraded, and I will continue to advance and provide useful information intended to help people buy the right home for their family, one of the most important financial and emotional decisions of their lives.
I am always seeking new ventures where I can add value using my unique and diverse skills. I served as a private consultant, venture partner, or employee at different times. Do you know someone who needs a seasoned professional who can solve their real estate problems and advance their goals? Contact me at info@ochousingnews.com.
Core Competencies and Technical Skills
- Thriving as a member of a larger team working toward a common goal
- Motivating and inspiring team members, mentoring subordinates, and effectively managing outside consultants
- Excellent written communication skills as demonstrated by published works, freelance writing, and daily blogging
- Producing and confidently delivering oral presentations to large groups
- Developing business systems to efficiently solve problems, manage resources, and maximize productivity
- Overseeing numerous simultaneous real estate projects in design, entitlement, and construction
- Strong analytical skills with financial emphasis and exceptional ability with MS Excel
- Talent for community planning and site design and special expertise with AutoCAD
- Proficiency with graphic design and Adobe Photoshop
- Deep understanding of housing markets and uncommon capacity to convey this knowledge
- Extensive experience and expertise with social media and online marketing
- Business development and entrepreneurship
Accomplishments
- Administered more than $100 million in complex real estate projects on time and on budget
- Raised $2 million in private equity to fund start-up REO-to-rental property business
- Authored The Great Housing Bubble, a 228 page treatise published in 2008
- Quoted in Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, and appeared on cover of OC Register
- Delivered paid public presentations to groups of more than 100 persons
- Launched successful online real estate lead referral business, the OC Housing News (www.ochousingnews.com)
- Generated proprietary OCHN housing market report and monthly updates
- Designed, planned, and drafted numerous large-scale and site-specific real estate projects using AutoCAD
- Produced complex financial models in MS Excel for a variety of businesses with a focus on real estate
- Supervised the construction of subdivision improvements, golf courses, and clubhouses across the country
- California Licensed Real Estate Broker, DRE# 01868521
- Graduated with Masters Degree in Land Development from Texas A&M University
- 20+ years of professional experience
Professional Résumé of Larry Roberts
Personal Writings
Want to know more about me? Below are four posts about my personal life experience. Enjoy.
