Economist foresees short recession

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Oct 19, 2007 | by Barbara E. Hernandez

Haveman said it was Thornberg's energy and enthusiasm that makes the team work. It also helped to put Thornberg out front as the "face of Beacon Economics," so Haveman could work in the background.

And Thornberg takes that role seriously, courting the media until he has become a blue-chip expert on real estate economics. His media presence is huge. In the last month alone, the Southern California- based Thornberg has appeared in almost every news outlet in the Bay Area.

"He's very creative in how he looks at things," Haveman said. "And, honestly, he's a lot of fun to work with."

As for his critics, they can choose to believe his predictions or not.

"I read what he has to say, but what do they tell you in college? Don't just look at one source," said Colleen Badagliacco, president of the California Association of Realtors.

Barbara E. Hernandez covers real estate. Reach her at 925-952- 5063 or bhernandez@bayareanewsgroup.com. For more on this story and others, read her real estate blog at http://www.cctextra.com/blogs/ propertylines.