After Ye Chen got into the car, Jack gently closed the door, then trotted to the driver's seat and started the vehicle.
"Mr. Ye, I am very familiar with Magic City. Where are you headed?" Jack asked.
Ye Chen glanced at Jack in surprise. The man could speak Chinese very well and seemed quite familiar with Magic City. Such proficiency and familiarity likely couldn't be acquired in less than seven or eight years.
"This foreigner is interesting,"
Ye Chen thought.
"He must be planning to live and work here for a long time..."
Thinking of this, Ye Chen said,
"There's no specific destination; just take me to see various new real estate developments."
Ye Chen possessed a wealth system, so it was naturally impossible for him to just let it sit idle and not seek upgrades. To be precise, Ye Chen had gone out today with the intention of spending money to earn wealth value. As for his goal, it was very simple: to acquire the buildings of an entire residential community.
"Okay, Mr. Ye,"
Jack nodded in response. After saying that, he started the extended Lincoln, and it slowly pulled away from the hotel.
The extended Lincoln glided smoothly, and just as Jack had claimed, he was indeed very knowledgeable about Magic City. Ye Chen observed one newly built or under-construction residential community after another. After careful consideration, Ye Chen chose a new community that had high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, and kindergartens nearby. Its unique geographical location meant that homes in this community were considered "school district housing"—highly sought after for their proximity to good schools. Ye Chen specially inspected the main structure of the buildings and found no signs of corners being cut. Moreover, all units featured high-quality, fine decorations, meaning they could be bought and rented out immediately. Overall, the cost-effectiveness was quite good.
Additionally, the sales department for this community had just been set up, and sales hadn't officially opened to the public yet. Therefore, as long as Ye Chen was willing, all the buildings in the entire community could belong to him. Upon walking into the sales office, Ye Chen found a staff member. After making some inquiries, he obtained the developer's contact number. If it had been someone else, it definitely wouldn't have been so easy. However, Ye Chen arrived in an extended Lincoln, a clear sign of his status, so the staff naturally wouldn't treat him casually—especially when Ye Chen stated his intention to buy the entire community.
Half an hour later, the developer rushed to the sales office and grasped Ye Chen's hand affectionately as soon as they met:
"Mr. Ye, my surname is Liu; you can call me Lao Liu. I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."
The real estate industry wasn't in a particularly prosperous state at that time. Not only were housing prices generally falling, but most potential buyers were in a wait-and-see mode, causing the transaction rate to drop sharply. In first-tier cities like Magic City, although housing prices hadn't dropped much, properties weren't that easy to sell. Even sought-after school district housing wasn't moving as quickly as before. To sell an entire community would likely take years. And who could say what variables might arise during that period? For example, the real estate market could continue to be sluggish, leading to further price drops. So, after hearing that Ye Chen intended to buy the entire community, the developer, Lao Liu, rushed over without hesitation.
The old tactics of hunger marketing and speculating on housing prices were largely ineffective now. The market had returned to a more rational state, and with increased controls, fewer and fewer people were buying properties for speculative purposes. Every day of delay in selling meant paying more bank interest on the development loans, which could eventually lead to losses. After all, the interest costs were significant. Selling everything directly, however, would be a different story. Not only could he recover his funds, but he could also make a tidy profit. Hoarding properties to sell at inflated prices, or speculating on high prices? It was evident that there were many properties for sale everywhere, but very few buyers. Looking for someone to take over the burden? That might work in other places, but in Magic City, people were generally shrewd and couldn't be easily fooled. This was why the developer, Lao Liu, was so enthusiastic. If someone was willing to take over the entire development, he couldn't have asked for a better scenario. Although school district housing was generally easier to sell, it would still take time, and even school district housing was showing a downward trend in prices. If he could sell it all immediately, it would be a definite profit.
After hearing the developer's extremely enthusiastic words, Ye Chen smiled slightly and said,
"I haven't been waiting long. Shall we discuss the price now?"
"No hurry, no hurry, Mr. Ye,"
Lao Liu gestured invitingly.
"Let's talk while we eat."
Seeing this, Ye Chen did not refuse. Chinese people often discuss business matters at the dinner table, over food and drinks; it's a common custom and part of the culture. Of course, some people prefer to discuss things over tea, which is another matter. Once outside, Ye Chen got into the extended Lincoln, while the developer, Lao Liu, gave Jack the address and then got into his own Mercedes-Benz.