“Million Dollar Listing New York” Season 4, Episode 9: Déjà vu

Highlights include cliffhanger for Ryan and Emilia, another record-breaking first for Fredrik

From left: Ryan Serhant and his fiance Emilia and Fredrik Eklund and his husband Derek Kaplan
From left: Ryan Serhant and his fiance Emilia and Fredrik Eklund and his husband Derek Kaplan

“Million Dollar Listing New York” would have viewers believe there is a tiny cast of characters in this mad world of our city’s real estate industry, based on how often we see some buyers, sellers and developers featured. In Wednesday night’s episode of this neverending season, “all around us are familiar faces, worn out places…”  The ghosts of episodes past pop up to get more camera time. Highlights include a revisit to the Jones’ Harlem mansion, a rocky patch and cliffhanger for lovebirds Ryan and Emilia, millions of dollars in Bitcoin and another record-breaking first for Fredrik.

“You look at it and you want it”: The show opens with Fredrik in the Financial District, or “the new Downtown,” meeting with developer Eric Bass to discuss the glorious 5 Beekman. Formerly an office building that has long sat empty, it is getting a much-needed rejuvenation and will live again as a hotel with an adjacent 51-story tower. The upper floors of the tower will be comprised of 68 residential units — all able to access the hotel’s full amenity package — including two penthouses with 360-degree views.  A boon for Fredrik, the $250-$300 million project can yield him $9 million in commission! To win the contract, Fredrik plies the development team with booze in the hopes they will get crunk enough to agree to pay several million for him to revolutionize 5 Beekman’s sales office by constructing a 15-foot high model of the project and position monitors behind the floor-to-ceiling windows of the model unit which, at the press of a button, can show the view from any unit. His goal in his presentation is to create an ambiance and give buyers the feeling of what it would be like to actually live in the building. No shocker, he gets the gig and notes, “the average home in America is $209,000,” and his model costs two times that. His bid to create a sense of buying urgency, along with the $2.5 millon the team sunk into the sales office and model, work; at the end of the event he has sold 19 units at $44 million. “Wee!”

“I’m your broker, bitch”: Ryan is still struggling to sell the obstructed view unit he is representing at One57 and has now decided to hold an event targeting those young ones with that sweet new tech cash. He hosts an event in a common area of the building complete with every stereotype one can think of when referencing the tech scene: hoodies, big sweaters, space-age watches and wool beanies. He offers, “Anyone you see who hasn’t shaved” surely has money.  Having hosted an open house at night with view issues in a previous season, he repeats the tactic here, which seems to work because one rich geek wants to make an offer in Bitcoin – roughly 50,000 of them.

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Luis Ortiz

Luis Ortiz

Luis 2.0: After learning about this wacky thing called breathing, Luis is a changed man and wants to revisit our old friends Dr. and Mrs. Jones and their 7,500-square-foot, 10-bedroom Harlem mansion. Months ago, he could not sell it for the desired $3.5 million because he now realizes he was unfocused, wanting to punch himself “in the face” for failing. Now that he has cleaned out his mental closet, he wants to give it another shot. The Joneses like being on TV, so they agree to a 30-day contract. Enter Robert, a broker with bedazzled ears and a client willing to pay the full ask. Luis travels to the Joneses’ weekend cottage 20 miles away from the city to tell them it is for real this time. It’s a visit to Thrillsville for the trio, so much so that they offer to allow Luis to sell their soon-to-be constructed house on the Hudson.

“You can sell real estate anywhere”: There’s nothing like being told your new fiance may want to move out to the country over a home-cooked meal you made her. Emilia drops the bomb that, because of a work promotion, she is considering moving to Geneva. Ryan will not consider leaving, so while she mulls over what to do, he throws himself into his work. Because the $1 million under-ask Bitcoin offer didn’t fly with the seller or his attorney, they’ve decided to rent it for $50,000 a month, allowing Ryan to collect a commission and keep it as a pocket listing. If only his home life was as simple! We are left with bated breath to see if these two star-crossed lovers will make it because if Ryan and Emilia can’t make it work, what hope do any of us have?