Chapter 48: Ingenious and Original

(1)

Seeing that everyone wanted to visit the sales office of Zhengyang Real Estate Company, Bian Xiaoqi smiled and said, "I want to evaluate our employees' work performance from three aspects: work attitude, professional knowledge, and work capability. Therefore, I have a favor to ask of you all. I want you to pretend to be prospective buyers who know nothing, and make things as difficult as possible for the staff. Do not worry about having a bad attitude, and do not hold back at all. You are free to put on long faces, question them sharply, and do not be afraid of getting into arguments with them."

Lin Haidong laughed and said, "I'll play the villain today. I like this idea."

Bian Xiaoqi continued, "Next, Manager Huang Qiong will brief you on the key points you should pay attention to during your first property viewing. I believe these are the same issues you would care about when visiting other real estate companies."

Huang Qiong smiled and said, "Director Bian's idea is wonderfully original, and I give it my full support. When inspecting a new real estate project, you need to pay attention to the following points."

First, verify whether the Five Permits are complete. Any real estate developer pre-selling commercial housing must possess the Construction Land Planning Permit, the Construction Engineering Planning Permit, the Construction Commencement Permit, the State-owned Land Use Certificate, and the Commercial Housing Presale Permit, collectively known as the "Five Permits." Only with these five permits can it be proven that the property developed is legal and that the developer is qualified to sell homes. Otherwise, the property you purchase may fail to obtain a property ownership certificate, or the project runs the risk of becoming an unfinished, abandoned development.

Second, pay attention to the spatial efficiency rate. Ask clearly what the gross floor area is, what the usable interior floor area is, and what the shared common area is. The selling area is the gross floor area, which determines the total price of the home. The spatial efficiency rate determines living comfort. Generally, the spatial efficiency rate for high-rise tower buildings is between 72% and 75%, while for slab-type apartment buildings, it is between 78% and 80%.

Third, focus on the surrounding ancillary resources of the development. Transportation ancillary resources include ground transportation and rail transit around the residential community; commercial ancillary resources include supermarkets, shopping malls, and vegetable markets; educational ancillary resources include kindergartens, primary schools, and middle schools; and medical ancillary resources naturally refer to hospitals.

Fourth, pay attention to the handover date. The developer must specify the move-in date for the homes. When you complete the move-in procedures, the developer must have obtained the Engineering Completion Acceptance Record Form, the Commercial Housing Actual Measured Area Technical Report, the Residential Quality Guarantee, and the Residential User Manual. Reaching the conditions for move-in means that water, electricity, gas, cable television, and telephone systems can function normally, and private or public facilities within the community—such as cleaning, sanitation, landscaping, sewage drainage, lighting, and mailboxes—can also be used properly.

Fifth, pay attention to property management and the number of parking spaces. The property management services of a community affect the comfort of living there in the future, so you must inquire about the reputation and service quality of the property management company. Private cars will become increasingly numerous, and parking will be a major issue; therefore, you need to understand the number of parking spaces in the community and the parking space ratio.

Sixth, examine the building structure and layout. You must find out whether the building is of brick-concrete structure or frame structure; whether the building is a tower block or a slab block; and whether the apartment layout faces north-south or east-west.

Seventh, pay attention to the floor area ratio, green space rate, and greening rate. The floor area ratio is the ratio of the total above-ground floor area of a community to its land area. For developers, the floor area ratio determines the proportion of land cost in the price of a home; for residents, the floor area ratio relates to living comfort. In a well-designed residential community, the floor area ratio for villas and multi-story residences should not exceed 1.5, while for high-rise residences, it should not exceed 4, with a distance between buildings of no less than 35 meters. There is a distinction between the green space rate and the greening rate, with the greening rate being much higher than the green space rate. The green space rate is the ratio of the total area of various green spaces within the community boundary to the total community land area; the green space rate of a residential community must not be lower than 35%. The greening rate refers to the ratio of the sum of the vertical projection areas of greenery to the community land area.

Eighth, focus on housing prices. Generally speaking, the housing prices announced publicly by a real estate sales office are average prices. Prices vary to a certain extent depending on the building block, apartment layout, and floor level.

Huang Qiong had long memorized all this professional real estate knowledge by heart. rattle off so many precautions in one breath made everyone feel that professions are like separate worlds.

Bian Xiaoqi smiled and said, "Manager Huang's presentation was excellent and very detailed. You may not have remembered everything, but that is fine. Both she and I will be on site today, and you are welcome to consult either of us at any time."

(2)

After lunch, Bian Xiaoqi led the group aboard a minibus to the Qinghe Gardens sales office.

Before getting off, she said, "Manager Huang Qiong and I will go inside first. Ten minutes later, you may enter."

After greeting Han Wenting, the receptionist standing at the entrance of the sales office, Bian Xiaoqi walked into the main hall.

There were not many customers viewing properties today. Most of the sales agents, dressed in work uniforms, sat neatly on the long benches, waiting for customers to arrive. Seeing Bian Xiaoqi and Huang Qiong walk in, they immediately stood up to greet them. Bian Xiaoqi smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. Seeing that Peng Qun, Zhang Qinqin, Meng Changxue, and Ruan Zongkai were also seated among them, she immediately made her mental arrangements.

Not seeing Gu Weiliang, she looked toward Dong Minglou, who was walking toward her. Dong Minglou immediately understood what she meant and hurriedly said, "Director Bian, Gu Weiliang was not late today. Right now, he really has gone to the restroom."

Without speaking, she looked at Zhang Qinqin instead. Seeing Zhang Qinqin give her a subtle, imperceptible nod, she knew that Dong Minglou was telling the truth today.

Gu Weiliang was also wearing a clean work uniform today, and his hair was no longer messy. Seeing Bian Xiaoqi watching him, he seemed somewhat surprised. The expression on his face—wanting to smile but unable to squeeze one out—made Bian Xiaoqi find him quite amusing. Still silent, Bian Xiaoqi just looked at her. Gu Weiliang was so flustered by Bian Xiaoqi's aura that anyone watching him from the side would also feel awkward.

(3)

At that moment, Qin Ke led Zheng Yutong and the others into the sales office. Bian Xiaoqi stopped paying attention to Gu Weiliang, turned around, and went to receive them. She led Zheng Yutong and the others over to the sales agents who were waiting for customers and said, "Meng Changxue, you will receive Mr. Lin Haidong; Ruan Zongkai, you will receive Mr. Qin Ke; Zhang Qinqin, you will receive Ms. Zheng Yutong; Peng Qun, you will receive Mr. Zhang Fang; Luo Aimei, you will receive Mr. Tao Jianmin; Gu Weiliang, you will receive Ms. Tian Ge; Ran Xiaoping, you will receive Ms. Fu Sichen; Guo Jiangping, you will receive Mr. Yu Chuan; Ye Wanglin, you will receive Ms. Jin Chen." Then, she smiled and said to Zheng Yutong and the others, "Welcome to the Phase I sales office of Qinghe Gardens by Zhengyang Real Estate Company. We will provide you with the highest quality service with our utmost enthusiasm. We hope you can pick out a home you are satisfied with here. You are also welcome to offer your valuable suggestions to help us improve our service standards and the quality of our homes."

As soon as Bian Xiaoqi finished speaking, Meng Changxue smiled at Lin Haidong and said, "Hello, Mr. Lin! I am Meng Changxue. I am very pleased to introduce the Phase I residential project of Qinghe Gardens by Zhengyang Real Estate Company to you. You are welcome to ask me any questions you may have. Please follow me." With that, she bowed slightly and invited Lin Haidong toward the property model display table.

Ruan Zongkai, Zhang Qinqin, Peng Qun, and Luo Aimei also greeted their guests with smiling faces and invited Qin Ke and the others over to the property model display table.

When it was Gu Weiliang's turn, he forced out a meager smile and said to Tian Ge, "Ms. Tian, please."

Seeing Gu Weiliang's awkward demeanor right in front of Bian Xiaoqi, Tian Ge showed no courtesy at all and said to him, "Is this your first time receiving a customer? Your smile is uglier than crying, and you don't even know how to speak properly. Didn't you hear how Meng Changxue and the others addressed us just now? Don't you know that the term 'young lady' cannot be used casually to address people nowadays? Why did you call me 'young lady'?"

Hearing Tian Ge's words, before Bian Xiaoqi could speak, Dong Minglou immediately stepped forward and said with a smile to Tian Ge, "Ms. Tian, I am terribly sorry. Today is Gu Weiliang's first day on the job. Any negligence on his part toward you is entirely my responsibility as his supervisor; please bear with him. If you are not satisfied, I can personally provide the presentation for you."

Seeing Dong Minglou stepping in to shield Gu Weiliang, Bian Xiaoqi said sternly, "Director Dong, you must not overstep your role. Gu Weiliang must introduce the property to Ms. Tian personally. Gu Weiliang, Ms. Tian is a first-time visitor, and you must make her satisfied with your service; otherwise, you needn't bother coming to work at the sales office." Then, turning back to Tian Ge with a smile, she said, "Ms. Tian, please do not be upset. Rest assured, Gu Weiliang will provide you with excellent service today." As she spoke, she gave Tian Ge a meaningful look.

Hearing Bian Xiaoqi's words, Gu Weiliang felt as though he had been slapped hard across the face, and his entire face instantly flushed red. He wished there were a crack in the ground so he could crawl right into it. He had no choice but to say to Tian Ge, "Ms. Tian, I am sorry. I will definitely correct my attitude. Please accompany me to look at the property details."

Understanding the meaning behind Bian Xiaoqi's look, Tian Ge said no more and walked toward the property model display table. Gu Weiliang hurried after her.

Bian Xiaoqi whispered to Dong Minglou, "Director Dong, keep an eye on Gu Weiliang today and make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble."

Dong Minglou replied, "Director Bian, I'll keep a close watch on him."

(4)

In front of the property model display table, Meng Changxue held a laser pointer, sweeping it across the architectural model while explaining the project to Lin Haidong. Her long hair was pinned up, and even her work uniform could not conceal her tall and well-proportioned figure. Speaking in standard Mandarin, she effortlessly reeled off figures and details regarding the floor area ratio, greening rate, apartment layouts, spatial efficiency rates, ceiling heights, parking space ratios, the surrounding environment, and ancillary facilities. Listening to her was a pleasure, and watching her was a comfort.

Lin Haidong, however, remarked, "Walking all the way here, I saw that the surrounding environment of this project is dilapidated and the roads are full of potholes. Aside from farmland and a steel market, there are only rows of single-story houses; there are none of the ancillary facilities you mentioned at all. Are you trying to hoodwink me?"

"Mr. Lin, we are the very first real estate company to develop this area, so you cannot yet see the ancillary facilities I mentioned. Zhengyang Real Estate Company has a long-term development plan. As the buildings are gradually handed over, these ancillary facilities will be constructed accordingly. By the time you move in, I believe you will see that this place presents a completely different picture. However, by then, the housing prices will no longer be what they are today. Don't you agree?" Meng Changxue answered Lin Haidong's query with a smile.

"Do you have any price discounts right now? If someone buys two apartments at once, will there be an even bigger discount?" Zheng Yutong cared most about housing prices.

"Ms. Zheng, we are currently running promotional campaigns, and the prices do indeed come with discounts. If you are able to purchase two apartments, we can have a more in-depth discussion, and we guarantee we won't let you down," Zhang Qinqin said with a smile.

"Compared to Vanke and China Resources, Zhengyang Real Estate Company can only be considered a small company here in the capital, with virtually no reputation. How can you guarantee the quality of the buildings? How can you make us trust your quality?" Qin Ke cared more about building quality and raised his own question.

"Mr. Qin, Zhengyang Real Estate Company has always upheld the service tenet of 'Quality First, Customer First.' Should any problem arise with the homes, our company will assume full responsibility, and this is clearly and detailedly stipulated in the purchase contract. Vanke and China Resources also grew from small to big. It is true that Zhengyang Real Estate Company is still small right now, but everyone in the company is united in purpose. As time goes on, we will undoubtedly become a real estate star enterprise in the capital and even across the nation. Please trust me; once you buy a home from our company, you will truly experience our quality," Ruan Zongkai said with a smile. His words carried weight and dispelled any doubts.

"We are all office workers and simply don't have the time to decorate and renovate homes. Why can't your company provide finished, move-in ready homes with interior decoration?" Zhang Fang asked.

"Mr. Zhang, if our company were to provide a unified renovation standard, first, it is difficult to please everyone and meet the demands of every customer; second, the housing prices would inevitably rise. Therefore, for this Phase I project, our company only provides bare-shell apartments. We hope you can understand," Peng Qun answered Zhang Fang's question with a smile.

"Your company is simply avoiding trouble and taking the easy way out. Why can't you treat customers differently? You could provide exquisitely decorated homes to customers who need to save time on renovations, and bare-shell apartments to those who prefer to design their own interior style. You are just copying others blindly and selling houses just like any other real estate company, without any unique characteristics of your own. As for what that person just said about your company growing and expanding, where is the basis for that? And where is your 'Customer First' tenet reflected? In my opinion, such slogans can only be empty talk." Tian Ge proved herself worthy of being a journalist, as her words were extremely incisive.

"This..." Gu Weiliang had not expected Tian Ge to be so sternly outspoken and overwhelming in her momentum. Unable to answer the questions she raised, he began to stammer.

(5)

Bian Xiaoqi observed her employees' performance from the side. Hearing Tian Ge's sharp remarks, she stepped in at the appropriate moment and said with a smile, "Mr. Zhang and Ms. Tian are entirely right. Our work indeed fell short in this regard. Based on market research, we could completely develop housing projects that cater to the diverse needs of our customers. We must possess our own unique characteristics to respond to the demands of different customers. Your opinions are very pertinent and highly constructive. We accept them with an open mind and will certainly make changes in the development of our next phase of properties. How about this? To express our gratitude to the two of you, our company will award each of you a two-hundred-yuan Carrefour shopping voucher, which Manager Huang Qiong will personally hand over to you shortly. We hope you will continue to offer us even better suggestions. On behalf of Zhengyang Real Estate Company, I thank you both in advance."

(6)

Watching Gu Weiliang standing there tongue-tied and remembering his earlier behavior, Tian Ge's anger flared up anew, and she said to him, "Explain what Meng Changxue just talked about to me all over again."

"Didn't you listen just now?" Gu Weiliang didn't want to explain it again, nor was he capable of explaining it clearly.

"I didn't hear it clearly just now. I am asking you to explain it again, is that not allowed?" Tian Ge refused to yield an inch.

"Gu Weiliang, customer first. Explain the project to Ms. Tian once more," Bian Xiaoqi commanded.

"I can tell she didn't come here to buy a house at all; she's just here to find fault. I suspect she's from another real estate company and came here today to spy on our business secrets," Gu Weiliang suddenly snapped in anger, shouting loudly.

"You are utterly unreasonable and quite absurd! It's not that you don't want to explain; you simply can't explain it clearly," Tian Ge said, looking at Gu Weiliang with utter contempt.

"Who do you think you are? Why should I have to do whatever you tell me to do?" Gu Weiliang grew even more flustered and exasperated.

"Director Bian, for your company to employ someone like this to sell houses is an absolute joke. With an employee who is so unlearned, arrogant, and devoid of basic manners, I have every reason to doubt the quality of your company's homes. Fine, you're right, I am here to find fault—so what? Today, he must apologize to me, and your company must give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, I am not finished with him, and I am not finished with your company. If you don't believe me, let's wait and see!" Tian Ge was genuinely angry and had fully immersed herself in the role.

The fierce war of words between Tian Ge and Gu Weiliang, with neither side giving ground, left Zheng Yutong and the others dumbfounded. They had not expected that things would unfold exactly as Bian Xiaoqi had predicted during lunch.

Qin Ke, on the other hand, looked at Tian Ge with a whole new level of respect. She appeared polite, well-mannered, and lively, but in reality, she possessed a sharp tongue and an imposing presence. How could Gu Weiliang possibly match wits with this brilliant talent from Peking University? In both eloquence and momentum, Tian Ge immediately seized the upper hand, displaying the formidable dignity of a journalist.

Bian Xiaoqi immediately reprimanded Gu Weiliang severely, "Gu Weiliang, you must apologize to Ms. Tian. Otherwise, the consequences are more than you can bear."

Then, turning to Tian Ge, she said, "Ms. Tian, I am terribly sorry. On behalf of Zhengyang Real Estate Company, I offer you my sincere apologies. We will never condone Gu Weiliang's words and actions, and we will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation today without letting you down. Come, let's go take a rest in the lounge for a moment first. Manager Huang, please accompany Ms. Tian."

Huang Qiong immediately took Tian Ge by the hand and led her away.

Bian Xiaoqi said to Zheng Yutong and the others, "Everyone, a minor unpleasantness occurred just now, and I hope it hasn't affected your mood for viewing properties. How about this? You can go to the small conference room now for a private discussion, and let us continue to provide our services to you. Please do not leave; I will come find you shortly."

Hearing Bian Xiaoqi say this, Meng Changxue and Ruan Zongkai immediately smiled and invited Lin Haidong and Qin Ke for a detailed discussion, and Zheng Yutong and the others followed along as well.

No longer paying attention to Gu Weiliang, Bian Xiaoqi said to Dong Minglou, "Director Dong, please keep a close eye on Gu Weiliang and make sure he doesn't leave. I am going right now to report to President Gu and have him handle this matter personally. Do you know who that Ms. Tian is? She is a journalist."

"Ah?" Upon hearing Bian Xiaoqi's words, Dong Minglou was so frightened that his mind went completely blank.