"You are exceptional. Worldly. Refined. You live life according to your definition. Uncompromising. . . . Finally, a building that captures your spirit and sophistication . . . "If you read the above advertisement, for a condominium in Atlanta called CityPlace Buckhead, and thought that no reasonably educated person could be persuaded by such flattery to sign over a small fortune for a place to live, think again. Jorge Pérez, the chief executive of the Related Group and one of the country's foremost housing developers, has appeared on the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans for the past several years, thanks in part to just such blandishments.
Mr. Pérez's "Powerhouse Principles: The Billionaire Blueprint for Real Estate Success" reveals some of his other selling techniques. Mail invitations only to select buyers, for instance, so that they feel like part of an elite crowd. Tease them with information but refuse to let them buy a property until an appointed time. Make them wait outside a tent in the Florida sun for the opportunity to hear the sales pitch being offered inside.