How to Exceed Market Expectations with Jason Christie

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Jason. Thanks for joining us today, Kwame.

I am so thrilled to be here. Thank you.

Yes, I'm excited to have you and everybody. Another reason to check out our YouTube page because you can see my big old smile. I've been excited about this.

It's mutual.

So how about you get us started by telling us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

Okay. So my name is Jason Christie and I am a real estate broker in New York City. Among other things, I have been in commission based sales for the better part of 30 years and I've learned a lot about the process during that time. I run my own real estate firm here in Manhattan and things are going great.

Fantastic. Well, listeners today, this is going to be a really fun episode because Jason, he is a very humble man, but he is an expert negotiator. And so one of the things that people have asked for is more war stories. Tell us about some of these situations. Let's break down some case studies. Yeah, so Jason has a really good one. So let me just give you the floor and let you break it down.

Yeah, well, so there were three. And then after the third one that happened, my business partner said to me, you know, you should probably figure out what you're actually doing here, the mechanics of it, so that we can be conscious of it and make sure that we repeat this moving forward. But so the first case study was I was able to sell a studio apartment in Harlem during a very soft market for $830,000. And that was significant because of the size of the apartment and the price. And my client, the seller needed to get that amount in order to at least break even. Because she wanted to pull her money out of real estate and go into capital markets, but she did not want to lose anything. So my task was to deliver this big ask and not a great market. And I was able to do it. And the second time that was sort of like a big surprise was a client who was selling a two bedroom condominium on the upper west side. Same thing. She had done what they tell you not to do, which is she did like a super modification. So she spent a ton of money improving her apartment. So much so that it became like the best, most expensive two bedroom apartment in the building, Worth a lot more than anyone has paid for two bedrooms in the building prior. So now from jump, you're justifying why your price is so much higher than the others in the building. And then yeah, we get it finishes, but is it really a quarter of a million dollars in finishes? So the task I had was to get the money in this market. And we did it. I sold the apartment for at asking price, which was like I said, way above anything else in the building, Even when you consider the finishes she had done. And she herself was like super, super, super gaga. And then another case study before the last one was a two bedroom, a condo apartment in Harlem. A French couple bought the apartment and their nationality plays a role in this. A French couple bought the apartment, wanted to sell it again for a very high dollar amount that East Harlem had not seen before. And I sold it all cash to a Mandarin speaking Chinese buyer. And I was able to break a price record not only for the building, but for the neighborhood. Selling that apartment most recently, which was really fascinating was a. Or is because we just got into contract, we haven't closed yet, is a gorgeous, albeit in need of repair. Townhouse park facing in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The interesting thing about this one was there's another townhouse, same size, same block, same neighborhood, in much better condition than my own, the one that I'm selling. And I sold mine for $400,000 more than the house three doors down with the same buyer pool. So this was when my business partner said, bro, you have to figure out what you're doing here because this unreal. And then we began, you know, really taking a look at it. And that's when I had to sort of like sit down and try to make sense of what I was doing seemingly naturally and innately, but really it's Just all of these things that I've learned over the years that, you know, I do without even thinking about it now.

This is fantastic and very impressive, might I add, of course, because what we're seeing here is a situation where the market is saying that the things that you are doing should not be possible, and yet you are doing those things and you are replicating that success. And so it's really fascinating to see that you've been able to, number one, recognize that you're able to do something that other people aren't able to do.

That's the first thing.

And you're able to do it consistently. And now since you recognize that level of consistency, you're saying, let me figure out how I can reverse engineer it so I can replicate this in the future and my point partner can do the same.

Exactly. Exactly.

Great. Okay, so where should we start?

Well, so I think the first thing happens at the initial point of contact. I think naturally I am this way. And it also helps in business. I do a lot of rapport building up front before anything else. So if you're coming to look at a house that I'm selling, chances are you and I are going to have a really super interesting conversation, not only about the house, but about something deeply personal to you that you're super passionate about. I'm very curious by nature, and I find people super interesting. So usually that conversation turns into one where I'm building a deep connection with the buyer. In these instances, through that conversation, I'm letting them know that I'm trustworthy and that I'm honest and I'm like them and we can work together, we can cooperate. This doesn't have to be adversarial just because I work with the seller who's trying to get the highest dollar and you're trying to buy the apartment and don't want to spend more than you have to. There's actually a space between that where we can cooperate and create that win win, where everyone's happy.

Absolutely. And so let me. Let's pause here for a second, Jason, because a lot of people talk about rapport here and you brought up a really good point. The fact that you're interested, genuinely interested in them. And, you know, people say it's. It's more important to be interested than interesting. Right. But let's, let's break this down a little bit more because the way you do this is really interesting to me because we have to recognize that you are in a market, you're in New York. It's a Very competitive market, and it's a very diverse market. You are a black, Jamaican, Caribbean American, and you are able to conduct business with people of different backgrounds, different nationalities, ages, everything like that. So when we're talking about bridging that gap and showing them that we are the same, how do you do that code switching? Tell us what code switching is for the people who are not familiar.

Well, as I understand it, code switching is being able to change the way you communicate with language in a way that is sort of like native to the person that you're having a conversation with. It could be cultural code switching. Like, if, you know, if my client is from the Upper west side, or they are like a Jamaican soccer player, you know, they are different people culturally, and they use English in different ways. And if I'm able to authentically communicate with the Jamaican soccer player and authentically communicate with the, you know, Upper west side financier in a language that they understand, then that goes a long way. That two bedroom apartment, I told you, in Harlem, in that instance, it was a native Chinese speaker. And I knew that she really loved the apartment because she stayed the entire two hours of the open house. And she kept wanting to talk to me and pull my attention aside, but I was busy. I had other people to attend to. So I looked to her and I said to her in Mandarin, don't worry, we can talk later. I'm here for you. And she was like, of course she gagged. And then she stayed for the entire open house. And then after everyone had left, she and I talked about the process of purchasing, where I stood with the offers, the usual business stuff. But then, of course, we had a conversation of, why do you know Mandarin Chinese? And we were able to have that conversation half in English, half in Chinese. And that was just, I think, priceless as far as my ability to build trust with this woman. Like, I obviously knew what I was talking about. I knew about the product line, I knew about the market, but I was also able to communicate with her in her own language to make her feel comfortable.

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And we will be right back after this. This is great. And now, one of the things, the criticisms of code switching is that people say it is inauthentic. And now I've been around you, and what I've. What's been really cool to me is how you can authentically connect with people and speak their language, sometimes literally and then other times figuratively understanding what really drives them. But you're authentic while doing it. So how are you able to do that?

Honestly, I think it's just by nature of my life experience. I mean, I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, you know, barefoot and racing down the street with my friends. And then I was raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, which is why I sound like this. It's not my fault. I'd much rather have the Jamaican accent. And then after being raised in Connecticut, you know, I lived in New York after that for school. I lived in Europe. I lived in France, which is where I learned French. I lived in Taiwan for four years, which is where I picked up Mandarin. I am a voracious reader. I am incurably curious. So you usually. I can find something to, like, authentically connect with almost anyone about, or if it's not really about anything that high level, it could just be literally about, hey, Kwame, that's a really cool T shirt. Like, that color looks really good on you. Like, it's making your skin glow and everything. That's so cool. I want to be like you when I grow up. Just like that. You laugh and we start a conversation.

This is brilliant. Okay, everybody, I want you to get this breakdown. So whenever you're code switching with somebody, the only way you can code switch effectively is if you genuinely know about that culture. And if you are trying to code switch to a culture that you're not familiar with, the. The flattery becomes mockery. And so that's very important because you have a very diverse lived experience. And so this is why it's so important for all of us to try to get out and meet new people, experience new things, because now you're adding to your vocabulary and your ab to build rapport. And what you said in those situations where you don't have a lived experience that aligns with them. So you've been in France, you could.

Connect with the French, the French speakers.

You'Ve been in Taiwan, you could connect with the person from China. But let's say it's someplace where you've never been before or don't have very many connections with, let's say, maybe Russia, for example. You have that genuine curiosity to learn. You don't. You're not skeptical or lacking in trust of new cultures. You're saying, oh, that's new. I want to learn. And that in itself is flattering. So when you're building rapport, you connect in the way that the person wants you to connect. But then if you don't know about them or their culture or anything like that, it's that benign curiosity that can create that connection, too.

Well, bloody sad, Kwame. What. What you said.

This is.

This is great.

Well, so we have, number one building that rapport on an expert level. Now. What's next?

So you hit the word with expert, right? So after the rapport, then they want to talk turkey. So it's about your expertise. Like, are you able to speak about this market with aplomb? Are you able to speak about this property on a level that makes. That inspires confidence? What language do you use when you're doing these things? And, you know, it's. Real estate can be very difficult regardless of what you look like. But I think sometimes, particularly when you look like me, it's helpful to really. You have to really know what you're talking about. You don't have the luxury to phone it in. So that same curiosity I have towards getting to know people, I point that same curiosity towards the business, getting to know the market, the property, and I think also what's driving people emotionally. I'm always on the listen out for that in my conversations.

Okay, and now. Now, this is really interesting because we're talking about the technical aspects of real estate, demonstrating that you understand the market, you understand what people are looking for, those type of things. But at the same time, you're blending that with emotional intelligence, understanding what their fears. Concerns are. How do you connect those two?

Yeah. So on a very simple level, I'm always trying to gauge how badly do they want it. So that client who stayed for two hours in the open house, I knew she really, really wanted the apartment. So now when we're having these conversations, I'm trying to figure out, why is the apartment so important to her? And, you know, as I begin to ask probing questions, she's telling me about the emotional driving forces behind her decision making. And then I'm taking inventory of that, most recently with the couple that bought that big townhouse in Brooklyn. You know, when you're selling a property like that. It's a very small group of highly qualified, highly prepared, super intelligent, sophisticated buyers. And they look at a property like that, which is rarely available, and they know that they want it. So getting them to talk about how much they want it and why they want it and why it's important to them is an important part of my process. So I always tease that out while we're walking through the property.

That's great. Okay, now, as you are teasing that out, what is the strategic benefit to you of getting an understanding of their emotional drivers?

Yeah. So how I leverage that information persuasively. So let's fast forward this couple who wants the house. And I know why they want the house. They're clear that you know why they want it. And now it comes time for me to do my job, which is to sort of shake the trees, so to speak, and make sure that I get top dollar from my client, the seller. So one thing I might do is, you know, I'll say something like that. I'll say, just like you, everyone else that has put an offer on this property, recognizing the importance of owning a property like this in this specific location, just like you, they want to create a statement living space for their family and have the unique opportunity to do this, this, and this and this. And, you know, I have to tell you, it's really been extraordinary the caliber of people just like you that have come and presented offers on this property in such a short period of time. I'm as surprised as anyone.

Okay, so let's break this down. So, number one, you are solidifying the rapport between you and the person, because you're taking another opportunity to summarize and demonstrate that you've been listening to what they've been saying throughout the relationship. That's the first thing. The second thing is you're making it clear that there are other people at play here. And so you said multiple times that there's competition, which triggers scarcity. Whenever scarcity comes into play, people feel pressure to take advantage of it because again, they want this thing. And then also social proof, because it's not just the competitive aspect, the fact that they're going against other people. It's also the fact that other people are validating the quality of the property as well. So in a very, very conversational way, you are. You're hitting all of these really powerful emotional and persuasive triggers that make them not just want to buy, crave that purchase.

Oftentimes I'm dealing with A buyer's broker. So these brokers may have had a representative to help them to purchase this property. And their job is to get as much information from me as possible to guide their clients without having them overpay. And my job representing the seller is to make sure that my fiduciary is to the seller is to make sure that I don't say anything that would lead to them earning less. So it's sort of like this game of cat and mouse. And I remember on this property specifically, one of the brokers said to me, because it was an all cash offer, and they were very proud of that and assumed that others would not be able to compete with them because of that fact. And again, you know, I just reminded them in a conversation about how shocked even I was of the caliber and the sophistication and the readiness, the financial readiness of the buyers for this type of property. We've got multiple cash offers and they're all very, very sophisticated people and they know exactly what they want, just like your clients. So that actually worked out really well for me. I have this thing called your no regrets number. And I don't know if this is. It works for me. When they tried to get me to tell them how much they should go up or down, one buyer who was in that same pool was asking me to give him some guidance on his offer. And I said, well, here's what I would say. I would characterize your, your in. Your increases in your offer as incremental and I would characterize what everyone else has done as leaps. So if you'd like to purchase this home, I would check in with yourself to figure out what number you would have no regrets for losing this property and then make that leap.

I love that. I love that. Because essentially what you're, what you've said is give me your best offer. That's what you've said. Now if you say it that way, people get defensive, rapport is fractured, everything like that. But what you, you've just said it in a very consultative, matter of fact type of way where you're saying, hey, listen, you're, I'm sure you're doing the best that you can here, but if you're, you're risking losing this, but you're doing it in a way where you're almost encouraging a little bit of vulnerability, where they feel safe having this conversation with you in a non transactional, non guarded type of way.

Right. And again, all the work I did up front with that rapport, building the cooperation and the building of the trust is very, very helpful. And also, if you behave that way long enough in the business, it's a very small community, you develop a reputation and, you know, it's good to be able to rely not only on your track record. This is what the things that I've done and this is the things that I've accomplished, but also your reputation. This is how I've done it. I've done that. While being trustworthy and honest and reliable from both sides of the transaction.

Absolutely. No, that's great. And then also, one of the things that we have to recognize is that people don't always don't just want to win in these situations, they also want to avoid losing situations. So you talk up the property and talk about what the win will be, while at the same time leveraging that fear of loss in them by saying, you don't want to regret this decision down the road. And so now this gets them to focus on that, that future that they want to avoid and that they're going to increase their offer not just because of the finances, not just because of the numbers, but like you said, everybody's emotional about this. They're going to do this to avoid that fear of failure. It's fomo.

Fomo. Fear of missing out. And I gotta tell you, Kwame, every time I do that, I'm like surprised at the numbers people come up with. And my clients, suffice it to say, have been very happy with the results.

I would imagine.

I would imagine. And then another thing that you've done too, is that you've again, very conversationally and in a very non threatening, non aggressive type of way, you nullified some of their best arguments. Right? Because you're saying, they're saying, ha, I'm special, I have a cash offer. You're like, I know, you're really great. And so is everybody else with cash offer too. I'm very sophisticated. Oh, yes, you are. And I've been surprised to see just how sophisticated everybody is. And so essentially what they're, what they're saying is saying, hey, Jason, you should pick me because I'm special. And what you're saying is, you, my friend, are very special and so is everybody else.

Exactly, exactly.

That is great.

Exactly.

So what else should we know about this strategy that you're using?

I think that's pretty much it. The trust and the rapport, the cooperation, having that expertise, and then the authentic, to your earlier point, authentic code switching has been really, really integral. Languages is really, really powerful. And I'm not suggesting people Run out and learn foreign languages so that they're able to. Or maybe you should. Actually, maybe that's not a bad idea. Sometimes it just takes a couple of phrases in someone's native tongue to get their attention. I don't speak Hebrew fluently, but in New York City real estate, it comes in handy knowing a few phrases like, hello, how are you? Thank you. And, you know, how are you doing today? And things like that. Sometimes that's just enough to get someone to remember you.

Absolutely. And again, with a competitive market like the one you're in, being memorable is while being authentic. That's invaluable.

Yeah. Get curious.

Absolutely. I think that could be. That could sum up this episode really well. So, Jason, I appreciate this. And for the people who are out there who are maybe interested in New York real estate or want to connect with you in any other way, what is the best way for them to do that?

My Instagram is 2 1, 2. That's the best area code in New York City. 212 mystic. My s t I C. Because I'm. I do other things in real estate. And on my Instagram, you'll be able to see a little bit of my. Of my life. And online, you can find me at Jason, the Polaris Team. P O L A R I S. Polaris Team. That's the name of my team and my firm.

Fantastic. And everybody, we will have links in the description. Jason, really appreciate it, brother.

My pleasure. I'm so, so thrilled to have done this.

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Will see you in the next episode.

I'll catch you later.