Contact Brett at brett@realtyadvocates.com, (510) 428-0757 (office), or (510) 867-9883 (cell).
Brett started his real estate career in 1983, buying, renovating and renting/selling houses in the East Bay. Working closely with the Realtors who were part of his team, he saw the possibility of creating a real estate agency that delivered maximum value to the client at the same time as lower commissions. In 1986, he co-founded Realty Advocates to bring a new ethos to residential real estate: providing premier service and greater bottom-line value.
Brett enthusiastically takes the role of a true advocate for his clients. With refreshing candor, he demystifies the real estate world and makes the whole process feel effortless. He taps his background in architecture and his extensive knowledge of current construction costs to help sellers make smart upgrades to their home before selling and to help buyers budget for repairs and improvements as they prepare to make an offer.
Brett’s environmental ethic and Green building knowledge runs deep. He earned his B.S. from U.C. Berkeley’s College of Natural Resources, and continued into grad school at U.C.’s College of Environmental Design, under the direct mentorship of ecological design visionary Sim Van der Ryn. All of Brett’s design projects centered on sustainable building principles and technologies, such as passive solar principles, energy efficiency, roof gardens, wind energy, greywater irrigation and waste recycling.
Brett took this academic knowledge to the streets. He partnered with the City of Berkeley and the Community Energy Coalition, which sourced and distributed energy- and water-saving resources to local residents and businesses. The work of this group led to the creation of the city-wide real estate point-of-sale ordinance known as R.E.C.O, the Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance, which remains in effect today.
When hybrid cars hit the U.S. market in 2000, Brett stepped forward as one of the first people in the U.S. to buy a Prius — inspiring many of his colleagues and neighbors to make the switch. Day to day, he helps buyers identify energy problems in prospective houses and cost-effective solutions, and helps sellers upgrade their homes to meet the expectations of today’s eco-conscious buyers. His current car: the 2012 mostly electric Chevy Volt. A devotee of life’s simple pleasures, Brett puts a high premium on “walkability.” Thus, he lives in the “Gourmet Ghetto” neighborhood of North Berkeley with his wife Rita Kovas. Their two boys are now in college.
One of Brett’s hobbies is “mural hunting.” He has found over 80 different sites within Berkeley’s city limits and has cataloged them at the website: Berkeley Murals
Brett Weinstein
Co-Founder and Managing Broker
Licensed Real Estate Broker Since 1986
License# 00923266