Manhattan Beach mystery: Who is "Deep Throat?"

There, do I have your attention now?

Seriously, the headline comes from a quote in a fun profile today of one of my favorite mystery bloggers, Manhattan Beach Confidential, whose identity is cause for speculation in the South Bay: "I call him Deep Throat," said Greg Maffei of RE/MAX Execs. "I like how he's no-holds-barred, says what he feels. But the thing that gave it validity is that I had clients asking me what I thought about the site."

If you haven't read the blog, its reporting is very specific -- down to individual listings, how long they've been languishing on the market, and how they compare in price and value to similar listings in Manhattan Beach.  Great for readers, but a little bit too much information for some real estate pros: "People who do this kind of thing have nothing better to do," grumbles Jack Gillespie of South Bay Brokers. "To just prey on the real estate community, that's fine, but have the guts to stick your name out there and your number. To me, it's just a gutless act."

What say you, MB Confidential? He (she?) tells the Daily Breeze: "I am trying to help potential buyers (as well as home sellers) see through the fog," he writes in an e-mail. "I'm trying to provide the sort of service I would have appreciated having in the past. All of that is not meant to feed some jihad against Realtors, but out of a desire to see a more fair marketplace."

A sliver of news in the story: MB Confidential's blog posts were being published in a local print paper, the Easy Reader, but the newspaper pulled the column after complaints about the writer's anonymity.

Full Disclosure: MB Confidential has generated many, many items for this blog. I have no earthly idea who writes the blog, but I like it.
 
Your thoughts? Comments? Email story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com
Photo Credit: LATimes
 

Comments

[kevin]

Hooray for the security of anonymity! As long as MB isn't committing any criminal acts, why shouldn't he or she remain confidential?

[sunsetbeachguy]

I should call the Waaahmbulance for the REIC in MB.

I'm a broker in MB and I want my bubble back.

Screw 'em, they have been screwing their customers for long enough.

[Keith]

Great for readers, but a little bit too much information for some real estate pros: "People who do this kind of thing have nothing better to do,"

Lots of things fail the "light of day" test.

[seattlesnoop]

Good for MB Confid. Good information and I assume, not from a real estate industry individual.
Asfor those who complain about the facts, facts are facts. As for the newspaper that pulls the commentary because a few complain; that's censorship.
Thanks MB Confidential, keep up the good work!

[pugtv]

On the flip side, you have used car salesman Lawrence Yun making self serving and outright deceitful forecasts in the guise of "economic forecasts". Now that's gutless.

[Tombstone Realty]

Aw. That bad MB person made the real estate agents cry. Make him stand in a corner.

I loved the "he must have nothing better to do", when, really, isn't what MB doing supposed to be what the AGENT should do??

Y'know, making sure the client gets the best deal and all that.

[Mr. Blue]

I fully support MB Confidential - he's getting TRUE information out there to buyers. This is something that real estate agents should be doing, but are not. Why not? They want to manipulate buyers and sellers so that the commissions keep coming. The reaction of the real estate community proves that they are profiting from a conflict of interest. Every community needs a deep throat!

[lefty]

hey, reading about real estate is always fun right? and you know it, the world's attention is on: beautiful southern california!! well some people haven't gotten loans lately but believe me, they will soon! that's why your bank pays you interest! don't wait to get into metro L.A., buy now, beat the rush and get a great deall!!

[Arti]

If Realtors are crying about it, then it must be good and true. Keep up the good work MB, never surrender!!

[waitingitout]

I've found that RE professionals really hate it when you pull the curtain back and reveal "Oz." Their wholw industry is based on scarcity of information, which is quickly eroding. I'm reminded of the MLS service in OC that stopped listing "days on market" because it might confuse (read: ENLIGHTEN) the poor home buyer.

My agent told me throughout the summer and fall that it was a GREAT time to buy. And one day in November, when she repeated it, I finally let loose all the data and key anecdotes I've collected - mostly through this site - about the wave of foreclosures coming, option ARMs resetting, the Schiller index, rising inventories and "falling knives," and my firm belief that average listing prices would drop at least another $50k by the summer. "No, it is not a great time to buy. It is a terrible time to buy."

The silence I heard on the other end of the phone was the sweetest kind of nothing I've heard in a long time. (By the way, she's no longer my agent. I didn't fire her - I didn't have to. We'll call it a "mutual split.")

[CD]

I am glad you mentioned Manhattan beach confidential he does a great job.
Realtors should know by now that it is a new world. Lefty ,Find another headline, there is no rush, when it's time to buy, we will all come to see you.
Go play now.....

[Susan]

Actually, several Real Estate Agents [presumably; who knows on the internet?] post regularly and keep him in line, correcting him when he's made a mistake or misunderstood something. It's the back-and-forth discussion and clarifications I like about the site. And the pictures. It's quite lively and gossipy, and all about my neighborhood-- what could be better? I don't care if he's anonymous-- what interests would really be served by knowing who he is? It's not as if anyone can't log on and challenge him about anything he's written-- all corrections are welcomed.

[mark g]

Good work MB... always interesting reading/data to peruse... NAR and their lackeys would prefer to keep consumers in the dark with their happy spin to sell units... as with the record industry, they do not appear to be adapting well to tech savy consumers who have more options and access to better data for fair market value... will they adapt and survive without govt intervention?

[thenervecenter]

Funny how the real estate agents are so annoyed with this site. They hate to hear anything but the bull they spew out all the time, like "potential ocean view"... yeah, if you just spend another small fortune. And why would it matter if he remains anonymous? If you think what's being written is not the truth, you are welcome to post a comment on the site (which some do). Let the readers be the judge. I think this site is a great service to the community.

[dublanc]

How can you scout the real estate Socal market if you are investing from Europe? Read blogs like Manhattan Beach Confidential or Piggington.com. Thes guys make a great job of market facilitation and it's for the mutual interest of buyers and sellers.