Land the deals you want and develop your instincts with million-dollar negotiation techniques
After selling over $3 Billion in real estate, including the most expensive one-bedroom house in history, Josh Altman, co-star of the hit show Million-Dollar Listing Los Angeles, wants to teach you the real estate sales and negotiation tactics that have made him one of America’s top agents. Buying or selling a house, whether for a client or yourself, is one of the most important (and most stressful) deals anyone can make, demanding emotional intelligence and a solid set of negotiating skills. But by mastering the same techniques that sell multi-million-dollar homes in Bel Air and Beverly Hills, you can attract buyers and close deals on any property.
Josh breaks down the art of real estate into three simple parts. First, he’ll help you get business in the door during the Opening. Then he takes you step-by-step through the Work: everything between the first handshake and the last. And finally, the Close, the last step that ensures all your hard work pays off as you seal the deal.
- Learn how to open with a prospect, work the deal, close, open, and repeat
- Build and market your reputation, creating more sales opportunities
- Develop the traits of a closer in you and your team
- Drive the deal forward and get the best price for your property by creating desire, scarcity, and demand
Successful real estate sales are driven by the same principles, whether they happen in the Hollywood Hills or just down the street. Josh wants to put those principles, and the techniques for applying them, in your hands. Learn them and discover what you can achieve.
Table of Contents
Foreword Robert Herjavec, Shark Tank xi
Preface: Pre-Game Pep Talk xiii
Part I Prep Through Open 1
Chapter 1 Game-Time Mentality 3
Chapter 2 The Players, the Field, the Shot Clock 9
Chapter 3 My First Close 19
Chapter 4 All In with LA Real Estate and BRAVO TV 23
Negotiating Is All 24
Going Hollywood, TV Time 25
Chapter 5 Rules of the Game: First Impressions 31
Impressions Matter 32
10 Rules to Make a Positive First Impression 35
Chapter 6 The Dream Team: You Can’t Do It Alone 39
Chapter 7 Fresh Eyes on the Prize 45
Chapter 8 All About the Open 51
Know More than the ’Hood 52
Watch Your Back 55
Networking and Giving to Get 56
Chapter 9 Open Houses for Clients, Brokers, and Insiders 59
Don’t Tour, Sell 59
Broker’s Opens 61
Insider Opens and Strategic Alliances 62
Chapter 10 Create an In-Your-Face Brand, 24/7 65
Working the Web: Social Media and the Press 66
Give Expert Advice 68
Concierge Extraordinaire 70
Chapter 11 Golden Hammers and 20 Questions for Sellers 73
Shut Up and Listen 73
The Altman 20 (Questions for Sellers) 76
Chapter 12 Size Up the Property: Pricing and Timing 81
Reading the Property: Questions I Ask Myself 82
Let’s Talk Pricing 84
Chapter 13 Close the Open on Sellers: Talk Marketing, then Sign 89
Chapter 14 Close the Open on Buyers: The Altman 12 93
Chapter 15 Off to Work: Take a Breath First 99
Part II The Work 101
Chapter 16 Working with Buyers: Part Chemistry, Part Therapy 103
Assessing Personality Types 104
Analyzing the Buyer 105
Calming the Buyer’s Fears 106
Chapter 17 Strategizing with Sellers: Getting Ready for War 109
The Battle Plan 109
Managing the Troops 111
Chapter 18 Weapons: Listing Language, Interior Design, and Staging 113
A Killer Description 113
Killer Design 115
Staging for Battle 116
Chapter 19 The Killer Combo: Drone and 360° Photos Plus Staging 119
Chapter 20 On the Battlefield: More on Open Houses and Broker’s Opens 125
Who to Invite? 127
Work the Party 128
What About Neighbor(hood)s? 129
Sell Strong Points and Knowledge 130
Chapter 21 Price Drops Are Not Always Downers 133
Chapter 22 Go Win the War 139
Part III The Close 141
Chapter 23 Making an Offer 143
Settling on the Price 144
Inspections and Contingencies 149
More Deal Sweetener Details 152
As for Curve Balls: Play by Your Rules and Get the House 154
Chapter 24 Getting an Offer 157
Chapter 25 Multiple and Counteroffers 161
Negotiating on the Clock 162
No Rules? Use Hammers for Leverage 165
Chapter 26 Psyching Out Business Styles 171
Chapter 27 Putting on the Poker Face 177
The Anger Hammer 177
Know the Classic Hard-Baller Moves 182
Use Confidence to Grab the Hammer 184
Chapter 28 The Walk-Away 187
How to Walk Away 190
Chapter 29 Be a Shark: Eat, Swim, Devour 193
Part IV Plays from the Book 195
Chapter 30 Play #1: Damn, the Studio Head’s Pissed 197
Chapter 31 Play #2: Three Clients, One Property 199
Chapter 32 Play #3: The Middle Men Kings 201
Chapter 33 Play #4: The Most Expensive Garage Ever Sold 203
Chapter 34 Play #5: The Paramedics of Real Estate 207
Chapter 35 The Final Play: Confession 209
Acknowledgments 213
About the Author 215
Index 217
