“Do you know how much 3.000.000 Euro is?”“Yes, I know. It is 3.000.000 Euro”
Part 2 of the post: "100 suits, 100 pairs of shoes and "3.000.000 Euro" = 102.000 Euro lost…"
(to read part 1, click here)
The "hot" 1977, the year of Thessaloniki's earth quake
My "teacher" asked me to go for a walk, in order for him to discuss with his respectable friends. While waiting for them, I found another 2 offers in the area. In about 15 minutes he called me back. "Look, young boy, it is ok… it is ok… it is ok! I know that it is not easy for you to find good offers, but at least you try" (my "teacher" was generous with me). "So I will grand an audience to this owner and I will negotiate directly with him. I do this since 1977, when I surprised the whole city in a super transaction, as the market was hot back then". "Wasn't it the year of the earthquake in Thessaloniki?" "It was, so what?"
"Do you know how much is 3.000.000 Euro?" "Yes, I know. It is 3.000.000 Euro"
The meeting with the owner delayed for several days. My "teacher" didn't want to sign a contract for my commission. "I want to invest 3.000.000 Euro. Do you know how much is 3.000.000 Euro?" "Yes, I know. It is 3.000.000 Euro". "I will be your biggest {C}client". "So what is this? A beauty contest of money?" "But you will say that you have ME as client and automatically many more will come to you". "I fully appreciate this, but I think that I should also be paid in case of a transaction. Plus, I serve good any client, it doesn't matter how much he invests". He proposed 20 different versions, but in the end he accepted to sign my (simple) contract, in order to meet the owner of the property "which was expensive"….
The meeting place: The "restaurant for rich people"
"I propose the meeting to be held at …, by Herrastrau lake. I am sure you don't know this restaurant, it is for rich people. We will talk to him and then we will eat. You will have a free seminar of negotiations". So one Friday of autumn 2005, the parking guard of the restaurant was shocked looking at a "young boy" parking his white Dacia Logan between Mercedes, Ferrari and Audi supercars. I left him the keys and entered in the place. I stopped for a second and looked around me. It was full. You could see some couples being there probably for their first date. You could notice how awkward they were feeling. If you could let your eyes explore the room better, you would also discover several "famous" guys, being with ladies who were soooo proud of joining the table of "such a celebrity".
Politicians were there as well (I had barely started to recognize some faces back then, not that I know many faces even today) dressed in expensive clothes, accompanied by their friends or wives. Being involved in Greek politics for so many years, it was easy for me to recognize how carefully they were checking the area around them, trying to identify anyone they had to salute, or to avoid…
Negotiating by insults…
I would not call that discussion a negotiation. When the owner of the land arrived, I went to the door and invited him to our table. My "teacher" was very serious, almost grumpy. He barely shook hands with him. The "old guy" and the "Greek smecher" were more talkative and after the basics, they unleashed their attack…
"Who are you?" … "How come you have a property like this?" … "Why do you want so much money?" … "If you don't have money and you need to sell cheap, then cut your price by 90%" … "You …, how do you dare asking so much? Few years ago, you didn't have money to live"… I had to interfere: "Gentlemen, I am sorry but I didn't ask the gentleman to come here, in order for us to attack to him. If you don't want to buy his property, simply let me know. He talks to you very politely". Before they replied, I continued: "Either you stop here, or I leave with him. He is our guest and Greeks are known for their hospitality, no?"
The one who knows…
"Guys… guys… guys! There is no reason to be upset. Let me handle this, as I am the one who knows negotiating. In 1983 I had negotiated with a very rich guy, who was impressed by my Jaguar. Noone in my city had this car back then, weighing 3,5 tons" my "teacher" entered in the discussion, explaining to us in Greek how unique he was. Then he addressed to the shocked owner, who was ready to leave. "Mister, I will give you a proposal you can not refuse". "Ok, shoot". "I will buy your land, give you 100.000 Euro today and the rest you will receive in apartments. So you will be able to take advantage of the future higher prices and you will live in an apartment created by ME".
"But I want the money now, cash. If not I would not sell in this low price" the owner replied. Too bad he was not intelligent and open minded enough, in order to understand that money was not important comparing to unique architecture and new ideas of construction. Also he didn't appreciate the AUDI A8 that my "teacher" had in Greece… "6.000 cc, full extra, a model that does not exist in Romania". Very soon he stood up and politely greeted us. (Thank God he didn't consider me as "part of the show". Like this I had the possibility to sell his property to some real investors few weeks later).
Tomorrow:
- "If you could pay all these for me, I would also love you"
- "I will teach you how the real professional earns money from a project"
- The excellent investment…