Don’t be an ostrich

In our business, shit happens.

That’s just the way it is. Tenants try to short you on rent. Contractors try to extort money through bogus change-orders. City inspectors call you out for things you know are fine. Buyers try to chip price. Sellers lie about their rent rolls. And on and on and on.

When one of these problems arises, there is a natural tendency to avoid picking up the phone when we call you to discuss it. You’re hoping that, if you just avoid answering, someone else will figure out a way to resolve the issue.

I have never, in my life, been an ostrich. Neither has Jon, my partner. When shit happens, we get MORE interested in the project, spend more time on it, and don’t stop until we have some kind of resolution.

There’s never any kind of guarantee in our business, except this: If you try to avoid problems and hope they go away, your deals will get screwed up.

(Can you tell we’re dealing with someone on a project right now who doesn’t like to pick up his phone?)