Episode 8 of Million Dollar Listing leads us one step closer to next week's finale. Sorry we missed last week's action packed episode, but to briefly summarize what happened last week: Josh Altman sold that pricey home and took on some condos, Josh Flagg kept writing his book, Madison's friends tried to find him a boyfriend, Madison and Josh A. fought over Heather, and most importantly Curbed's Broker Babe 2007 Jessica Blafer made a very special guest appearance. Sadly, she's no longer in real estate.
This episode, Josh Flagg's storyline revolves around his attempt to sell a Beverly Hills mansion which is deep in the process of renovation. Josh meets with Barbara, the estate rep, who is in charge of selling the home for the family of the recently deceased homeowner. The 6,865 sq. ft. home located at 922 N. Beverly Drive includes a pool, 5 bedrooms, 9 baths, an elevator and a great location all on an 18,000 sq. ft. lot. After climbing over construction debris littering the house, Josh suggests the family complete the work on the property to get a higher price but Barbara says they want to sell now - and she wants $5 million or more for the house. Rolling his eyes at the crazy lady, Josh tells her the most they can get now, considering the state of the property, is $4.5 million. Josh hopes to up the cache of the property by initially offering it as a pocket listing, rather than throwing it onto the MLS. They agree to list the home at $4.5 million.
During a series of private broker showings, Josh tries to put a good spin on the home's potential but everyone hates it because it's an unfinished mess and there's disgusting green water at the bottom of the pool. Josh explains that it's difficult to show homes that aren't turn key because nobody, apparently not even the rich, can get construction loans at the moment. Bankers are the worst!
Once again, Josh is stumped by this whole house selling business thing, so he turns to his most trusted advisor to help him out. Popping up to his grandmother's penthouse, Josh asks for guidance. Grandmother Edith, dressed in a fur coat and diamond earrings, suggests Josh (who is dressed in his house robe and slippers) have an open house with a table full of food. By serving food, she posits, other agents will be immobilized as they nosh on free food, allowing Josh to charm them with his highly evolved social skills, thereby making the agents want to bring their clients into the middle of the construction zone and offer oodles of dollars for the money pit. It sounds like a plan. There is no sale by episode's end.
Assuring us that he is going out of his "territory," Josh Altman drives to Malibu for a potential listing on a new beach side residence. He is scheduled to meet with Chip, a local developer and the home's owner, but in a twist Joe Convery, a Malibu agent, is also at the meeting. Josh A. visibly seethes at Joe's presence. Sitting down with Chip, he calmly informs the two agents that he wants them to work together to sell the house - utilizing Josh A. for his Beverly Hills connections and Joe for his knowledge of the Malibu market. The home at 33428 Encinal Bluffs features 3,500 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, a designer kitchen, and a funicular to a private beach area below. Following a tense argument over comps and values, Josh A. and Joe agree to list the home at $13.995 million (a compromise between Joe's suggested $15 million and Josh A's suggested listing price of $12 million).
At the first showing of the house, Joe and Josh A. continue to rub each other the wrong way, stepping over each others words and getting in each other's way. Neither can agree what to call the beach funicular, referring to it as either a chairlift or tram. During a later showing, Madison pops in and is surprised to find Josh A. co-listing the home. When confronted with Josh A.'s douche-baggery Madison recoils and the two begin verbally abusing one another with Josh A. taunting Madison about his assistant Heather and Madison attacking Josh A. for... wearing a suit? Nice try, Madison. The two almost have a believable level of mutual loathing.
Meanwhile, a potential buyer for the home falls from the sky and instantly falls in love with the home. The buyer, Jim, meets with Chip and the two agents to make his pitch - essentially he hopes to charm Chip in order to soften the blow of his low ball offer. Jim offers $11 million for the home. Chip, possibly the most mentally stable person in real estate we've ever seen, calmly rejects the offer and discusses a counter offer with Josh A. and Joe. Josh suggests Chip come down $1 million, which Chip agrees to. After some coaxing, Jim comes up with a $12 million offer, but again Chip calmly rejects it. He tells the agents that his rock bottom price is $12.8 million. After some more coaxing, Jim agrees to come up to the $12.8 million price. Everyone is thrilled. They agree to enter into escrow the following morning and Joe and Josh A. split the commission.
Madison Hildebrand's new clients for the episode are John and Erica, a couple from Massachusetts who are relocating to the West Coast. Madison is planning to show them homes in the Pacific Palisades in their preferred price range of the mid-one million dollar category. Madison meets with John and his sister-in-law Amy who is standing in for Erica while she stays at home with a sick child. Children are the worst! They tell Madison that the family is looking for a home with at least three bedrooms and a yard.
Madison takes the clients to several homes in the Pacific Palisades. The first home they visit is listed at $1.4 million, and features 2,348 sq. ft., 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and vaulted ceilings. John hates the place because the master bedroom is on the second floor, away from the children's bedrooms. He decides to pass on the home.
The second home they visit, located at 11349 Bolas St., is more to his liking. The home, listed at $1.595 million, includes 2,219 sq. ft., 4 beds/3 baths and a small grassy yard for the kiddies. Madison takes a video of the property to send to Jim's wife back in Massachusetts in order to get her stamp of approval. Weeks or months or days later, Madison meets with John to put an offer on the property. However, as with all men in Madison's life, John decides to walk. Zing! Some sort of business nonsense about restructuring and merging and what nots is forcing John overseas, so the family will not be relocating to the west coast. Madison seems confused but quickly accepts his personal failure.
In the interpersonal squabbles storyline, Heather talks to Madison about last weeks drama where Josh A. and Madison threw side eye at each other in between verbal fisticuffs during some weird man-date party for Madison. The drama continues, with Heather trying to be a peace broker, but Madison having none of it. Madison correctly refers to Josh A. as a douchebag.
With Josh A's help, Heather begins interviewing for other real estate jobs. During her interview at Keller Williams she coincidentally runs into Keller Williams agent Josh Flagg who happens to be discussing the previous night's Lakers game with the receptionist. Mmmhmmm. Next week we learn that loose lipped Josh Flagg tells Madison about Heather's secret interviewing and then there's some more nonsense drama.
Highlights:
Josh Flagg: Colton, Josh Flagg's boyfriend, floats into Josh's apartment about 45 minutes into the episode to drink water. This is the first time we officially see Colton on the show. During a conversation about Josh's book and the introduction of Josh's sexuality into wider circulation they nervously drink a lot of water. Josh explains that he is worried that he'll be labeled "the gay realtor" in lieu of his preferred title, "the skeevy realtor." Colton drinks some more water and gives Josh the ok to be gay in his book. Josh drinks some more water, and the segment ends.
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