Peter's Biography
I was born in Calcutta, India in 1953. My Dad worked for the British shipping company, Jardine Matheson. After India, we moved to Trinidad, in the Caribbean, and then to Hong Kong. My dad spoke fluent Cantonese, a Chinese dialect, and he taught me about the Chinese way of life. For example, the fishermen in Hong Kong harbor sailed boats called "junks" and at the bow of the boat were painted two eyes. When the junk was at anchor, the eyes would be covered, so that the boat could not stray.
When I was eight, I went to school in England. I graduated from Marlborough College in Wiltshire in 1969 and went to De Anza College in Cupertino where I studied photography. At that time my Mother, who is from Idaho, was living in Sunnyvale. I loved California and decided to make the Bay Area my home.
I worked as a musician in local bands, selling photography equipment, as a house painter and as a landscape gardener until 1985 when, after buying my first home, I became interested in Real Estate. I got my license and went to work for Miner Weber, Better Homes and Gardens in 1986. From there, I moved to Re/Max on Berryessa Road, and then Cornish & Carey in Campbell. C&C were bought by Coldwell Banker around 1995. Shortly after that I got my Broker's license and bought my own Realty World franchise. This proved to be a smart move, allowing me the flexibility and freedom to serve my clients' individual needs without having the restrictions of a Corporation to deal with.
I live and work in the East Foothills of San Jose with my girlfriend Luanne, my dog Parker, and occasionally my 20-year-old daughter Natalie. My interests include playing guitar,
( go to www.roundmidnight.info ) gardening and painting. As a volunteer I have taught English as a second language at homeless shelters and for migrant farmworkers. I have also donated over seven gallons of blood to the American Red Cross.
My areas of expertise in Real Estate are:
The East Foothills of San Jose: I have sold in the neighborhood surrounding Story Road and Fleming for 20 years. I know the streets, the trends, the prices, the floor plans, and many of the people who live in this area.
Legal Issues: I am not an attorney, but I have encountered and helped to solve issues such as easements, building code violations, problems with title, divorces, lost mortgage reconveyances, and probate sales.
Foreclosures; I am familiar with REO procedures, fixing up homes and deciding on the most cost effective repairs, or whether to sell "AS-IS." I have an excellent network of contractors to help me.
Investment Property: 1031 tax deferred exchanges, rental units, loans for multiple unit properties, and the mathematics of investment.
Buyers: I have helped over 200 buyers find homes, and I have a very low-key approach to selling. My feeling is that buyers and homes are like magnets- if I put them next to each other, there is very little selling that needs to be done. I just give the best advice that I can.
