Luis Will Do What It Takes for Ian's Trust
Luis explains why he sang in drag for his client and what he really thinks of Sonja Morgan.
Ian Reisner, what a character! Sonja Morgan, what a character! Everyone in this city must be a character in order to survive and succeed in it.
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This episode is very funny I have to say. It's also very dramatic for me because I take my job very seriously and when there's too much commotion and lack of control I get anxious. But like always, there's something to learn about everything. Ian, is a very successful real estate developer as well as a huge hotel owner. He owns the OUT Hotel, the first luxury gay hotel in New York. It's slogan is: "Straight Friendly." Love that! Anyhow, I was introduce to him by Sonja Morgan, the beautiful woman from The Real Housewives of New York City. She's a great friend of mine and has also given me good business in the past. She may be crazy, but when it comes to serious clients, there's no one sharper than her.
Ian, never reached out to me. I was introduced. This means that in order for me to gain his trust, I have to go the extra mile so that he sees that I'm valuable. Sometimes that means singing like a drag queen. LOL.
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Originally, I thought I was getting the Penthouse Listing facing the Central Park. I was extremely excited because apartments on Central Park South, the hottest and most expensive block in Manhattan, don't come out on the market often. Then, I found out that it was already in contract and that the listing he had in mind for me a project on the 11th floor. The project consisted of four individual, unrenovated apartments that together formed one 3,200 square foot, three or four-bedroom apartment facing Central Park. This was exciting because you get to choose the layout and be a part of the construction process. However, the idea was to sell the apartment before construction even started. It's challenging but not impossible, especially for buyers who understand the value of this location.
But this one was not the only project. Working with Ian as a mega controlling seller was the other one. But guys like Ian, I can handle. I'm a very patient man, as well as very understanding. The problem was that this was not my only obstacle. Ian, told me out of the blue, during the meeting with his architect, that he wanted to be my co-broker on the deal as well. This is a problem for many reasons. First, it's extremely difficult for a seller to be both an agent and a seller. Sellers are too emotional and that doesn't allow them to act rationally. Second, the relationships between two co-brokers and the relationship between an agent and a seller are extremely different and I'm not sure if we can separate them. Third, he's taking a cut of my commission for just being the owner. I will never negotiate my commission if it wasn't for the fact that I'm seeing a bigger picture.
I'm just hoping that I can get through this.
