It's Season 2 of Million Dollar Listing New York, where three amazing brokers, Fredrik Eklund, Luis Ortiz, and Ryan Serhant, show the world what it takes to sell high-priced New York City apartments. Check in each week for recaps by Eater New York's fearless nightlife editor Scott Solish. Episode air date: 7/10/2013.
Crisis 1: Reunited And It Feels So Good!
Fresh off his Soho success story, Fredrik gets back together with his old friend Zach Vella from Season 1 at Curbed favorite 250 Bowery, which Zach has been developing with his company VE Equities. The two had worked together as Fredrik's new development business was just beginning, and now Fredrik says he is the go-to new development guy. The circle of life.
Before we go any further, let's make a bold prediction: Zach has unrealistic expectations about sales prices on this part of the Bowery, and Fredrik will let him know they're unrealistic but will still agree to them.
Wow. How did we guess? And the jealous lover scorned act that Fredrik puts on is just the icing on the cake. But he has agreed, so now it's time to get to work. Fredrik assembles the team.
See? Even though there is no offering plan, Fredrik starts leaking information and secretly meeting with interested buyers. But before Fredrik finishes his business on the Bowery, he's got some business of his own to take care of with Derek.
Sly dog. How does he manage to do it all, like buy and renovate an apartment for his fiance in secret and also build up an 850-person waiting list for a building that doesn't even have an offering plan approved? We can't expect the master to share all of his secrets.
Fredrik goes to update Zach Vella on the interest in the building, and, predictably, hears that he should be raising the prices by at least one-third to take advantage of the heat that the building is generating.
Why not go on to Crisis #2 to find out some more juicy details?
Crisis 2: Making The Call That He Never Wanted To Make
Ryan gets a visit from John, a buyer who loves investment properties. John is looking for a one-bedroom for around $750,000?not very big, but Ryan loves the volume of deals. Or he would, if the market weren't moving too fast that John kept losing out. And John is interested in the one thing Ryan can't offer: 250 Bowery. That's right?Fredrik's 250 Bowery. Ryan is annoyed.
But he knows he has to grit his teeth and get John a chance to look at those sneak previews. That means one thing. Calling Fredrik. Anything for the deal.
That went better than we expected. But what will happen next? It seems Ryan is up for more pain than those wall sits from his old frat bro or that crazy deal in midtown where no pictures were allowed. Oh Mary C, where are you when Ryan needs you the most?
Ryan gets the meeting with Fredrik, in a group of other brokers.
Something tells me that it's just a bit below what he is used to. Look at that gnarly bunch. They all are desperate to get a crack at 250 Bowery, but Fredrik tells them that there are already 750 buyers on a waiting list for just 24 units. Ryan is floored. He tells all of his clients who are interested in the building the bad news, but he wants to tell John in person. He is disappointed.
But Ryan does what he has to do. He meets with Fredrik one-on-one and apologizes for his bad boy behavior.
Fredrik is loving this. He tells Ryan the first thing he has to do is agree to go on a double date. Ryan agrees. Then Fredrik tells him there is just one more thing he needs before he will let him into the deal. The high kick.
Fredrik has gotten all he needs. Now will it be enough to help Ryan land the deal? It may all come down to the double date that Fredrik asked for. Let's do a quick recap of the action.
1. Ryan shows up with a 19 year old fashion student.
2. Fredrik doesn't give Ryan a chance to look at the menu before ordering.
3. Fredrik and Derek make out several times.
4. Ryan tries to suck up to Fredrik and gets called out on it.
5. Derek makes Ryan apologize for jumping in the pool at the Marble House.
6. Ryan has to pay. But he gets into the opening party, so it was probably all worth it, right?
Yes, until Fredrik tells him the prices have jumped almost 35 percent. Ryan is not pleased. But we have to wait until next week to see what happens.
Crisis 3: There's No I In Team, But There Is In Luis
Luis has decided to team up with fellow Keller Williams broker Antonia on a new listing at 220 Riverside Boulevard, which an actress is selling on behalf of her family. Now normally you would expect a shampion like Luis to be rolling in a limo by now, but he and Antonia are still rolling in a taxi. Come on, bro.
The apartment is a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom stunner offering great views and lots of custom details. Take a look.
Too bad Luis had to ruin everything by busting on Jewel the seller lacking an Oscar. Woo her, Luis. Woo. Then he crushes her dream when he says that her goal of $10 million is whack. He looks whack himself.
Luis tells her that even A-Rod couldn't get that kind of scratch for his unit in the building and he is A-Rod. Jewel tells him that this apartment is way better than that and they shouldn't "pussy foot" around on the price and they need to go for it. Luis loves the straight talk.
But still wants to list it at around $7 million. Jewel doesn't like it, and then Antonia suggests splitting the difference and going for $9.25 million. Oooooh, math! Luis brought her along for a reason. But he is not happy that she went against his shampion listing suggestion, thinking that she is setting Jewel's expectations way too high.
Still, Luis wants to make a splash with this listing, so he takes a page out of Ryan's book and decides to shoot a movie in the apartment. Did you know that Luis went to film school before he became a realtor?
Luis decides to be the camera man, director, producer, best boy grip, gaffer, and realtor. He's a regular Cecil B. DeMille, and it takes a toll.
But if he doesn't think he is going to be able to sell for the listing price, why spend the time and money on this ridiculous video? One word: SHAMPION.
It's time for the big open house and the big premiere of the movie, so Luis decides to roll out a red carpet and treat his listing video like it's an actual movie. And guess who is there to help? His brother Daniel.
Does he not have his own job? No matter, it's time for the big reveal.
Well, that was...terrible. Even worse?everyone thinks the apartment is way too expensive.
But son of a gun, Antonia gets an offer. It's only for $7 million, which would be great if Luis had gotten the listing at that price, but now it's more than $2 million below the listing price. This is terrible news and Jewel says so herself. Luis is stressed.
The client has to think about it just a little bit before she decides what to do, and her decision is not good for Luis and his partner. Jewel wants her $9 million and is willing to stay in the apartment for another five or 10 years until she gets it. Guess she doesn't understand inflation. Anyway, no deal for Luis, and the apartment is still on the market for $6.995 in case you are looking.
A lot of drama but no deals. How sad. Maybe next week?
· Official site: Million Dollar Listing [Bravo]
· Million Dollar Listing New York coverage [Curbed NY]
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