Marcia Goldstein is a real estate brokerage assistant. She has worked
with artists and investors within the entertainment industry. She is also a
financial advisor. She is currently working as an assistant at Lauderdale By
The Sea Realty. Lauderdale By The Sea Realty is located within South Florida. Marcia
spends the majority of her days negotiating with others. Whether it is for the
perfect price, or the perfect location, she gets the job done.
Experience
With Different Negotiation Techniques
Me: “Can you tell me about your experience with negotiating with
others?“
Marcia: “On a daily basis, I not only have to debate with general
contractors and others on pricing, quality of installations, building areas,
and zoning, but, I also have to debate with the sellers/buyers and agents/brokers
on our firm’s commission. There are times when some people feel as if they
deserve the whole “piece of the pie”, when our firm was the one who literally
provided them the “food”. You have to know when to share and withhold
information. You have to know how to make a certain things sound exciting, even
when it might not be as exciting as it seems. You also need to know when to
walk away from a deal, and how you should make your first offer. The
negotiation should be beneficial on both ends.”
Best
Alternative To A Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
Me: “Do you have any experience with finding the BATNA?”
Marcia: “Yes. Right now, we are contracted with Movoto. I spend a lot of
time, at our real estate firm, finding the best options for our clients”. Being
an assistant for brokers and agents, feels just like being a mediator
sometimes.
Dirty
Tricks
Me: “Have you ever used “dirty” or “unscrupulous” tricks while
negotiating with others?”
Marcia: “No. But, I have witnessed dirty tricks and unprofessional
tactics used against me and our firm.”
Me: “When?”
Marcia: “We had a million dollar real
estate deal on the line. We had three partners, and we had an agreement to
split the money between the four corporations. Because, there wasn’t anything
in writing, and we did not seek legal representation, they ended up stealing
the money.”
Separating
the People From The Problem
Me: “How do you separate the people from the problem when you are
negotiating?”
Marcia: “ Basically, I don’t see the people, I just see the deal. People
have different personalities. I can’t deal with all of that. Therefore, I just
see the deal. And, when I look at the deal, I see the bigger picture, and not the
person. The bigger picture is closing the deal.”
Me: “What tips do you have for new negotiators who are trying to do
this?”
Marcia: “Whenever you are negotiating a deal, you need to keep calm.
Remember, some people are just not professional. Quite frankly, some are just
evil. So, you have to look over all of that, and keep your eyes on the prize,
which is closing.”
