Shakedown Street

Here's a preview of this weeks column, from NYPRESS.

We had a long-standing and dubious arrangement, a deal with the devil, but in this case, the devil is an incompetent half-wit, and I’m getting very little for my unblemished soul. For every deal we do, my company kicks back half of the fee to the building managers. They in turn provide us “exclusive access.” The big problem is the access is no longer exclusive. A few other shops get the same arrangement. So for an average deal we’re kicking-back a couple thousand dollars, but the wheels aren’t getting greased, and we aren’t getting any real preference. It feels more like a shakedown than a smart business move. They get paid on every deal, regardless of who brings it.

Back To Business

Crazy isn't it? Five years later and it still haunts us. But we're all moving forward as best we can. Richard Serra on Charlie Rose last night was very powerful, and asked some pretty scary questions. But Real Estate Right? That's the agenda and that's the important thing to focus on... right? Hmmm, must have at least one thing to say about it...I'm an agent...I'm at work....it'll come....ah???

Soho Morning

This shabby real estate routine is finally beginning to suit me. I've got three years invested into what began as a whim and a small step out from behind bars. My criminal record aside, I couldn't serve another drink. Who knew then The New York Times would run a story two years later announcing the slew of new characters joining the agent game. The story picked up a bit of momentum, and as brown is the new black, huffing rentals is the new bartending. Instead of serving Bloody Mary's at brunch, they're spending Sunday's running clients all over the city from one open house to another. But fear not, it's nothing a tight market can't rectify. A few lean months and most of these speculaters will be back behind bars making small talk and working once again on that screenplay about the bartender trying to bust out. Good luck chumps, I'm in it for the long haul, tight market or easy money, I like this routine, and I love Soho in the morning.