Being a fan of the AMC show Breaking Bad just as the other 5.9 million viewers of the final season 5.5 episode, there was one scene which grabbed my attention. This scene did not just enhance my respect for the writers of the show but also made me think about how in CRE we negotiate deals and the multiple layers there are to lease negotiations.
The scene I am referring to is when the characters Badger and Skinny Pete are at Jesse’s house and they begin speaking about a Star Trek episode idea regarding a pie eating contest. Peter Gould, the writer of this episode, did a great job having you focus on the conversation between Badger and Skinny Pete, which is very entertaining, but in the background you see an anxious and unsettled Jesse moving about the room. This entire scene is to set up the coming actions of Jesse but as a viewer you are focused on Badger and Skinny Pete while also taking in Jesse’s demeanor.
Watching this scene made me think about when I represent a tenant and I negotiate their lease with the property. As a CRE broker I have reviewed the Lease with my client and have a full understanding on what points they definitely have to have modified, those they desire to have slightly modified and those points they are okay with. That said, when I speak with the landlord or the landlord’s representative I may focus on the less needed points my client needs changed to make the points my client definitely need changed easier.
Lease negotiations are always a give and take and as all brokers know it sometimes is a trick of the hand or as in the Breaking Bad episode, you make them focus on one thing and slide in the deal point which your client sees as a deal breaker. This is one benefit I explain to prospective clients of working with myself or any other CRE broker. We know how the “game” is played and negotiate leases on a weekly basis. This can only benefit them.
Share your stories of Lease Negotiations and the tactics you use to make sure your client’s get the main points they need addressed and modified.
Also, for fun and Breaking Bad fans, here is an article which has an animation of the conversation between Badger and Skinny Pete!
