Licensed since 1984, San Diego real estate broker Gary Kent is a recognized authority on real estate. In addition to selling over 5,500 homes for clients, he has been an expert court witness, trainer of other agents, and he does seminars on home buying, home selling, and investing. Gary has sold homes for The Salvation Army, dozens of major banks, and Fannie Mae, amongst others. You can find Gary on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

What’s the difference between a mortgage banker and a mortgage broker?

Question: “I’m shopping lenders for my home loan and one said she’s a mortgage banker. Is that the same as a mortgage broker?” Answer: Great question…and the answer is “no.” Mortgage BANKERThey handle everything in-house and lend you their own money, though they’ll probably sell the loan later. Mortgage bankers include banks, credit unions, and
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Capsule Hotels

“Capsule Hotel” by Kojach is licensed under CC BY 2.0
At first glance, this may look like a row of washing machines but they are actually rooms at a Capsule Hotel. Room sizes vary but the average is about 4 feet wide, 6.5 feet long, and 3 feet high. Composed of a narrow space with a bed and some other amenities such as an alarm
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Saint Basil’s Cathedral

“Saint Basil’s Cathedral” by Julius Silver is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
With its bright colors and fairytale design, Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow seems like something straight from a storybook. Completed in 1561 it was built in just 6 years and commissioned by Ivan IV or Ivan the Terrible. It’s next to the Kremlin in the Red square. In Russian, red used to mean beautiful. During
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Citigroup Center

“Citigroup Center” by Andrew Moore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The Citigroup Center harbors a striking secret: it was a near disaster! The full story was revealed almost twenty years after construction completed. Realized by architect Hugh Stubbins and structural engineer William Le Messurier several interesting factors informed their decisions. The site originally belonged to St. Peter’s Evangelical Church who stipulated that the new building
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Sunrise Kempinski Hotel

“Sunrise Kempinski Hotel” by Artyukh Igor is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Symbolism abounds in Beijing’s Sunrise Kempinski Hotel. Sitting on over 3,400 acres the compound features 14 restaurants and bars, a private marina, and even a pagoda. Covered by 10,000 glass panels, by day they reflect the sky, mountains, and lake. By night they are lit up by hydroelectric-powered LEDs. The Hotel is 318 feet high
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: NTU Learning Hub

“NTU Learning Hub” by Lyslee555 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The NTU Learning Hub in Singapore looks so organic, you would never guess it’s a space for technology! The unusual building, which looks like something from the Flintstones, includes many smart features to promote collaboration while also achieving the highest environmental standards. The NTU or Nanyang Technological University hired Heatherwick Studios for the design and
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: The Bean

“The Bean” by Andrew E. Larsen is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Cloud Gate or the Bean as it’s known is an innovative sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor was inspired by liquid mercury and wanted to create something that would reflect the skyline, clouds, and visitors who get an interesting view underneath the work’s 12-foot high arch. It weighs in at 110 tons and required
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Fallen Star

Fallen Star at UCSD
UCSD’s Fallen Star is reminiscent of a scene from The Wizard of Oz. Designed by artist Do Ho Suh, the work examines the concepts of home, space, and memory. Suh felt like he had been “dropped from the sky” when he first came to study in America. The Fallen Star sits at a 10-degree angle
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Sea Ranch Chapel

California’s own Sea Ranch Chapel blends architecture with nature in a unique expression. Designed by James Hubbell, it took local artists, craftspeople, and contractors 9 months to complete. The work was done using a model and sketches instead of construction plans. Contractor Thamby Kumaran had experience working on ships which was instrumental in completing the
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Digital Beijing Building

The Digital Beijing Building looks like something from the Matrix. The aptly named structure’s northern and southern facades resemble barcodes while the eastern and western sides are reminiscent of circuit boards. It was built in 2007 to be a communication and information hub for the Summer Olympic Games the following year. In 2001, the Beijing
Read more
No Comments