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Million Dollar Listing New York -- Episode 5

Million Dollar Listing – NY By Jeff Crisalli

Once again my sincere thanks goes out to all of the readers of my blog.  The feedback has been amazing and I am truly appreciative of all the love and support from everyone.

I had a typical week. Meetings with potential clients, a closing and as usual, trying to structure various deals.

I not only deal in the luxury residential field, I also provide a large client base with real estate

investment opportunities. I am always working a few deals at a time and sometimes the clients,

the property and I are all in different states!! I love it.

This week, I had the chance to spend some time with Million Dollar Listing New York’s favorite guy, Michael Lorber. Michael and I met to discuss various business opportunities for us as individuals and also to explore opportunities for our companies to work together on various deals. I can say with firsthand

knowledge, Michael is truly a class act. He is in real life, as he appears to us in the show, smart, classy, soft-spoken, engaging and just a nice guy. And true to form, he dressed in his own style. A few other people popped into our meeting to say hello and we all spent a few minutes chatting about his “shoes” that everyone but Michael felt were “slippers”. He looked good regardless. The professionals at his firm, Prudential Douglas Elliman are a great group and I will be honored to commence a long lasting relationship with them. 

I have to say tonight’s episode was uneventful. The best part for me was the end when Ryan, as always, closed the rental deal. I love watching the negotiations and the close. Even though I am involved in negotiations on a daily basis, there are always things to learn. I do not want to see Ryan kissing himself in the mirror or drooling over every girl in NYC. It comes as NO surprise to anyone who watches MDL-NY that Ryan would need to live in a building with a doorman and leave explicit instructions about unannounced visitors. He should probably have someone taste his food and start his car for him!  As always, there were some good things my former “go-to” guy did tonight. When Ryan first met his client with the Chelsea space, he asked what pricing expectations he had. As a general rule, I do not come out with my pricing opinion until I hear from a client. You have to manage expectations and Ryan does it well. He also does a great job of appealing to his clients. He told us last night that you need to know your client and he is right. We got to see a good depiction of the way he interacts with each client differently and he is a chameleon. I also think he was right on target with the concept of the model’s in the marketing of the space. I do think that we saw too much of the picture shooting and of course too much of Ryan’s terrible dating manners. Need I say more! Another positive for Ryan was the fact that he came into the open house and starting cleaning the apartment. Although, he should never have been in that situation. If he has the staff in place, someone should have been there earlier to make sure there were no issues. I am sure this was not the first time he arrived and things needed to be done so maybe a course in learning lessons is in Mr. Serhant’s future. I find Ryan so much more charming when he is doing real estate business as opposed to the “monkey” business we unfortunately get to see time and time again.

I am so torn with Fredrik. We saw so many things tonight that on the surface seemed so unprofessional and unappealing. I have spoken to a few people that know him on a personal level and they all tell me, with the exception of one, that he is a nice guy. If you follow him on Twitter, you will get to see a very different side. His is a guy that cares about his husband, loves his dogs and is definitely proud of his family. Sometimes we are different in business than we are in our personal lives so let’s not crucify our friend Fredrik for the errors of his ways but hope that his kindness transcends a little into his business. Leaving Michael’s name off the invitation and then not even offering to correct it was a bad move. Fredrik should have shared the proof of the invitations prior to having them printed. Or is that just something I will do when Michael and I have an open house together? It’s just not right to take shots at Michael in front of his father or anyone for that matter. They work for the same firm and the spirt of teamwork is something Fredrik should do instead of just talk about. I think the most ironic part of tonight’s episode was when we saw Ryan soliciting clients at the open house. Fredrik must have a short memory because if we all recall, wasn’t that something Fredrik did in a previous episode? I guess what’s good for the “gas” (goose in Swedish) is not good for the “gaskarlen” (gander). Fredrik is very creative, enthusiastic and a forward thinker. All great traits for a successful person, whatever their career choice. The Mexican party theme was unique, maybe not appropriate for Park Ave. but certainly memorable. They say nice guys finish last, if that’s the case, Michael is headed for the bottom. I would like to be right next to Michael and nowhere near Mr. Eklund! One final comment about Fredrik. He hit the nail on the head when he talked about dressing for success. I wrote a blog about success that can be found @ jcrisalli.blogspot.com and it seems he said almost the same thing that I wrote.. hmmmmmmmmmm

Michael is my man.. Not just because we are establishing a working relationship but also because he is becoming the guy we all hoped he would be. When he first arrived at the meeting for the developer/client and Fredrik was there, he was poised and professional. I will say that the developer had the right idea. There is no harm in brining in another broker to aid in the sales of units. At the end of that day, the client has a lot of money at stake and needs to have closings. I often seek out other brokers that I know can help solicit a sale. As brokers, we have a fiduciary responsibility to our clients and not our bank accounts. I have no problem sharing a commission with a colleague when it results in a positive outcome for my clients. It was a great plan when Fredrik and Michael personally called people to invite them to the open house. That is a rarity because most of the time it is done by email or fax. The fact that Michael had a 2-page list and Fredrik had a 100-page list means nothing. Maybe Michael had a short list of heavy hitters instead of a long list of strike out artists! I loved when Michael told us that he treats people like he wants to be treated. It is a genuine character trait he posses. I also enjoyed the moments when Michael spoke his mind and challenged Fredrik. I hope we see more of that. Fredrik is a shark, albeit, a successful shark, and you cannot argue with success. But remember, the fall from grace never has a cushion! At the end of the episode tonight, we are lead to believe that Michael stormed out of the open house. Editing is done time and time again during the creation process. I highly doubt that we saw what truly happened.. Maybe I will find out for us.. Stay tuned!

In closing, I had numerous conversations with Lori Zaslow aka Love Broker, this week. She is a straight talking, tell it like it is, genuinely nice person. Speaking with her and having numerous conversations

with my very intelligent and analytical wife, made me think about interpersonal relationships and the importance of them. Surround yourself with people who contribute to your life and not contaminate it. Friends come and go but relationships last a lifetime. It is rare to find people who you can truly connect with and share life experiences, both good and bad.  Do not have a hidden agenda with people you care about. Take a real interest in what someone’s day was like. Be generous. Be authentic.  Life is filled with hurdles and triumphs, curve balls and home runs. Make people around you feel more important than you and you will be loved out of respect and admiration. When you go to sleep at night, instead of counting sheep, count how many times you made someone smile.. I guarantee, you will have a great night’s rest!!!!

Million Dollar Listing New York Episode 4

Million Dollar Listing-NY by Jeff Crisalli 

Once again, I want to thank everyone for the positive feedback I have received on my recaps of Million Dollar Listing New York.  I look forward to the comments each week and will continue to provide my view of the intricate and unique world of New York real estate.

Please indulge me the privilege of sharing with you a day in the life of me.  Yesterday morning started as usual with a quick 3-mile run, shower, suit, kiss my wife and daughters and out the door.  I had 2 meetings before an exciting lunch meeting planned at a restaurant in NYC, Michael’s New York.  It is a power spot for the entertainment and business crowd.  The food and atmosphere is amazing.

What was even more amazing than the restaurant were my guests.  My associate and friend Michael Mazzella and I had the privilege of a 2-hour lunch with 2 amazing people.

Lori Zaslow and Jennifer Zucher have a show on Bravo TV, Love Broker.  The show was born from the real passion of these 2 great ladies, finding love for people in search of their “soulmate”.  3 years ago, the two came together and formed Project Soulmate.(www.projectsoulmate.com)  I will not describe the service they provide simply because I can not do it justice.  The enthusiasm and passion that Lori and Jenn provide for their clients in the search for love is one that can be best described by them.  Lori and Jenn are smart, witty, beautiful (one has a potty mouth that I adore) but most of all, they are real.  Both of these women are successful at their careers but most of all, they pride themselves on being Mom’s.  It is a difficult balancing act to juggle a career and a successful family life and they do it with grace and ease.  We are exploring some business opportunities together but most of all, we consider each other friends.

Lunch complete, time for a client meeting and then some downtime at Starbucks and gain control of my day.  I had to return 15 phone calls and answer 27 e-mails.  It’s all good!!

6:30, show time.  My friend and client had a book signing at the NYU bookstore.

Kristen Johnston’s book, “guts” is a story of her journey to sobriety.  It is a raw and uninhibited inside look at a battle with her demons.  She read a chapter to a captivated audience last night and it was followed by some q&a.  One person asked her why she chose the “guts” for the title.  In her fuuny and real manner, she replied that because her guts literally blew up during her ordeal and also that her mom hated the title.  That is true but she did not reveal what I think is more important than those reasons.  Kristen, along with everyone who battles addiction, faces a lifelong struggle to stay sober. It takes courage and an unending will to beat those demons and most of all it takes GUTS to fight for your life each and every day!  Addiction effects young and old, rich and poor, blue collar and celebrity alike.  There is no discrimination.  Everyone who battles addiction and wins is a hero.  Kristen has battled addiction hard, kicked its ass and is enjoying life and giving back.  She is involved in some great projects to help others in this struggle.

All that said, after the book signing we ordered some sushi, went back to her apartment with some friends and just enjoyed some down time.  What a day!!  Now I had to go home, it was midnight, watch MDL-NY, write my blog, kiss my wife and daughters who were asleep and then go to bed. Didn’t exactly happen that way because I was tired when I got home so hence the delay in today’s blog.  Without further ado, here it is….

Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.. You are cool, chic, eye candy and a closer but certainly not a guitar player..  Dina, your assistant is on her way to saint hood!!  I do like your boyish crush on her that appears evident.. But Dina, RUN!!!!!  Ryan got a call from a potential new client and as he hung up, he called him dude. His assistant told him it wasn’t professional.  It may not have been for a different client, but in this business, you need to appeal to your audience.  Real estate is a very personal business and I think Ryan does have a personal touch that is added to his pitch.  In that situation, dude was acceptable. What wasn’t acceptable was the smell of the wallaby!!  It was a classic YouTube moment to see Ryan strap on the pouch and become a “jill” (a female wallaby).  He did face real challenges that realtors face on an almost daily basis, pets.  There is a trend in new buildings, as we saw in tonight’s episode, to provide pet care.  Later in the show, Ryan makes a comment to his client that can’t find a kangaroo friendly building unless the price point exceeds $7MM and he moves to a townhouse.  I was shocked..  We may not have been privy to the research he performed to get that answer but do we think that Fredrik would have told a client impossible?  I think not.. I wouldn’t.

Ryan’s open house was a success.  He works the room, interacts with everyone and definitely paid attention to detail.  Fredrik and his “boys”, I use that term VERY loosely, came in and appeared to us very unprofessional.  I get it that Fredrik is aggressive and a shark but it should not be at the expense of other brokers.  What’s the matter Fredrik, $1 billion in sales in not enough you need to poach?  So not cool..  In the end, Captain Kangaroo made an offer on the apartment and the building owner rejected it.  Ryan lost out on both sides of the transaction.  That’s a hard pill to swallow.  Week after week we see a multi-faceted Ryan, sometimes we applaud and sometimes we throw up in our mouth.  I do have to give him kudos though because at the end of the day, his client asked him to do something unethical and Ryan refused.  I am so glad he did!!  Nicely done.

Is everyone as happily surprised to see Michael coming into his own?  I see a certainswagger and hop in his step that I was not sure he had in him.  Getting the call from the high profile developer was an accomplishment for him.  The real treasure will be if he closes a sale.  It’s a cliffhanger.  I hate to do this, but I have to mention it.  $430 to $550 for a bathing suit?  Really?  Enough said.

Michael did a great job with the open house at 949 Park Ave.  He had a great turn out and the exposure gained was monumental.  It was a risk to have the open house at his office as opposed to the property but he pulled it off.  Once again though, our new villain strikes and Fredrick’s words and actions soured the mood.  I think I speak for the masses when I say we all want Michael to succeed. Clients want results.  There is tremendous pressure on Michael to close some deals with his new developer client.  It agitated me when we saw Fredrik waltz in and try to be the “big deal.”  Once again, Fredrik showed us his dark side and made some inappropriate comments to Michael and his father.  Michael’s dad surprised me when he suggested that Michael take Fredrik’s advice and stand by the door.  Michael is more than capable of working the room and he will do it with more class and elegance than the side of Fredrik we saw tonight.  NY is not big enough for two Fredriks so I say, butt out of Michael’s and Ryan’s businesses and worry about keeping your “boys” way far in the background..

I wrote some things tonight that many Fredrik lovers may not like.  That said, I have to also point out that he did a great job in dealing with his client and the developer to close the deal.  The combining of apartments happens a lot in NY real estate.  Normally, side-by-side conversions are the norm as well as a 2-floor combination.  Combining 5 floors into one massive apartment is very unique and exciting. Fredrik made the deal work for all parties involved.  He is a closer.  I also think he did a slick move in calling the potential buyer in front of the developer.  Normally, I would not advise this but it was the correct approach in such a unique deal.  We cannot argue with success.  We can argue the means in which Fredrik gains that success but he is a great real estate broker.  Let’s hope that the editing process and what we see as viewers is not the real picture of the character of Fredrik.  Our business is filled with good and bad brokers.  I love when people succeed.  I want to root for success as I watch the show.  Let’s hope that the joy of watching Fredrik’s success is not soured by some very undesirable characteristics.

I have decided to bring us back to reality at the end of each week’s blog.  Please continue to share this journey with me and provide me with your thoughts and comments.  I would like to end with this.. Addiction is a terrible disease that affects everyone.  Be in tune to the behaviors of your children, nieces, nephews, friends and family and if you suspect an addiction issue, stop what you are doing and GET HELP!!  If you suffer from a damaging addiction, nothing is more important that kicking it’s ass.  There is no negativity in seeking help for your addiction; the negativity is in NOT seeking treatment.  No one will ever condemn you if you are trying to get help and get healthy.  And if they do, get in touch with me because my friend Kristen and I would like to speak to them!!  Until next time…..

Jeff Crisalli is the founder and sole-owner of Blue Diamond Realty in New Jersey.  Having been entrepreneurial since the age of 23, Jeff has successfully started and operated a general contracting firm and a consulting company advising companies and individuals with their real estate needs.  With a career marked with results, Jeff ventured into a high level position with a Wall Street firm completing institutional investments throughout the United States and abroad.  He acquired and developed properties in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan and Mexico City.  Feeling the need to face new challenges and achieve loftier goals, Crisalli partnered with various individuals to create real estate investment opportunities and in turn created Blue Diamond Realty.  Servicing his luxury client base in any capacity needed, Jeff was able to grow his network of both clients and strategic partners. This has granted both Blue Diamond and Mr. Crisalli the ability to operate in a multi-state environment. Currently, Jeff benefits his clients by acting as a dual agent within the State of NJ as well as a buyers agent/consultant in various United States markets.

Million Dollar Listing New York Episode 3

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Million Dollar Listing New York Episode 2

Million Dollar Listing New York    Click here ----->  Episode 2

Million Dollar Listing New York

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Relevant..??

I want to thank everyone who read my last blog, which also happened to be my first.  Thank you.


I received some very positive feedback on the content and writing style.  The content is simply random thoughts in my head as I passionately go through  life seeking new challenges to improve myself as a person and to expand my business.  I recently wrote on Twitter (@JeffCrisalli), " Continuing ones success is the evolutionary process of ones new dreams and ideas."  Each day write down new goals and achieve them..  Mark them complete on a piece of paper because an uncompleted goal never ends.  


I need to share a comment I received from a few people that read my first posting.  On more than one occasion, I was told that my blog should be relevant to real estate since that is essentially my profession.  I was told that I should write about current trends in the market, mortgage processes, myths about real estate, etc, etc, etc.  I say, blah, blah, blah!!  I wrote about success..  Success is relevant in everything we do, from small personal achievements to major life changing events.  I am not "run of the mill".  I am an out of the box thinker,  a problem solver.  I see things in life as a series of contests that I will win!  That is my mind-set.  I am not always successful in round one but when I have a set back, I re-invent the path that did not work the first time and relentlessly pursue success by changing things.  Even if you are wrong once, twice, three times, etc., if you continue to try, succeed you will.  In this world of instant communication, knowledge is everywhere.  Seek advice from others and try to relate your experiences in a way that will point you in the right direction.  Do not get hung up right away on the why's.  It is important to understand why something may not have worked, but don't spend a lot of time dwelling.  Think about this though.  What will be the next step when and if you figure out why?  It will be doing something different.  Start by doing something different and when you achieve success, you will have found your answer why.


Relevant?  I seek knowledge from any and all sources.  Why would I just write about real estate items?  It's a micro view that will share nothing but some facts that will not engage people to think.  It will not set me apart from the rest.  Yes, I am in the real estate business.  Yes, I have knowledge about mortgage rates, foreclosures, investment opportunities and the like.  So do an exorbitant amount of people.  I want to set myself apart from the pack.  Be unique, be different, create the status quo don't follow the status quo.  All knowledge is relevant.  Perhaps, one day you are just doing your job and an opportunity arises.  It could be from anywhere and anyone.  You never know what someone else's interests are or what their knowledge base is.  If you are well rounded, you can relate.  If you relate, a bond is formed.  Be multi-dimensional.  Be informed.  Be inquisitive.  Just don't be afraid.  


I will leave you with this...  Seize every dream and opportunity you desire.  If it's been done by others, you can do it too.  And if it hasn't, then you will have become a pioneer!