You're going to love this one!  This landlord deserves the Self-Centered Stupidity Award!

In a recent transaction, our firm represented a well-known global company seeking to relocate its U.S. headquarters into an amount of office space that got the attention of a lot of commercial landlords. 

After reviewing the local market, our tenant selected a short-list of three properties.  After receiving proposals from all three properties, our tenant decided that one landlord offered terms that not only were not competitive, but which were truly out in left field.  We agreed. This, despite our having provided all three landlords with the same request-for-proposal containing identical information, and after we provided each of them with the same guidance.

So, our tenant eliminated the non-competitive property from future consideration, and proceeded to negotiate with landlords of the other two.  After a while, the landlord of the eliminated property contacted us, expressing his extreme disappointment in his property having been removed from our tenant's consideration. The landlord insisted that our tenant was in error, and that our tenant should have submitted a counter-proposal.  He then worked very hard to convince us that he and his property could be competitive and satisfy our tenant's needs, if given another chance. He asked, no...practically begged, for an opportunity to get back into the competition. 

After some discussion, our tenant agreed to consider a new proposal from the landlord.  When told the good news, the landlord was furious that he would not receive a proposal from our tenant. He complained, saying "Why Should I Negotiate Against Myself?"  What a jerk!

Our tenant moved on and made a deal elsewhere.

Copyright Real Estate Strategies Corporation 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

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