When Antique Street was thriving, the domestic antique market was equally vibrant. Those who sought out antiques still feel a thrill of excitement when reminiscing about those golden days.


    During that time, a pair of Wenwan walnuts could fetch several thousand yuan, with exceptional specimens reaching into the tens or even millions.


    A Dzi bead, about the size of a child’s pinky, could start at tens of millions and escte to hundreds of millions. The reality is, there are indeed some buyers willing to pay these prices.


    Perhaps the most absurd instance was a few years back when a cultural toy named the Dripping Lotus hit the market, instantly selling for an astronomical price. It waster discovered that this so-called toy was simply a seed from a roadside nt in the south.


    Many vendors on Antique Street joined the trade during that prosperous time. It was nearly impossible to find a vacant shop, and even a modest space of less than 20 square metersmanded hefty transfer fees, often reaching into the hundreds of thousands. Larger establishments might see transfer fees soar to several million.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Now, however, the antiques sector is in decline. More than half of the shops on Antique Street find themselves unable to collect any transfer fees when handed off to new owners. Only the best-located shops can still demand some fees.


    Zhou Liangyun surveyed the area and was drawn to a two-story shop for sale, named Zhenbaoxuan. Its location was decent, and its size was approximately fifty square meters per floor. The ground floor was currently used for selling agate, jade, and other less popr, inexpensive gemstones, while the second floor served as the operator’s living quarters.


    The asking price for this shop was a transfer fee of 150,000 yuan, along with three months of rent included. After the lease concluded, thendlord would renew the contract at an annual rate of 200,000 yuan.


    While the yearly rent of 200,000 yuan isn’t exorbitant, the 150,000 yuan transfer fee felt somewhat excessive.


    Zhou Liangyun addressed the seller, saying, “I remember your store; it has been around for quite some time since my days at Ji Qingtang. The contract you signed with thendlord must not have been for 200,000 yuan annually, right?”


    The seller replied, “I’ve operated this store for nearly a decade. When I first took over, I paid the previous tenant a transfer fee of 300,000 yuan, and the annual rent was 250,000. As business became tougher, the rent was reduced to 180,000. Now, thendlord regrets that and intends to raise the rent back to 200,000. I’m ready to move on and don’t want to renew the lease. The transfer fee of 300,000 from back then is now 50% off; I’m offering it for just 150,000 yuan, which includes three months’ rent. That’s a fair deal.”


    Zhou Liangyun nodded, acknowledging that the seller’s statements were urate. He didn’t doubt the truth of what was said but questioned the actual value of the shop in the current market.


    The initial transfer fee reflected the original market price, but the present value was entirely different and depended solely on current market conditions. This analogy is simr to the stock market.


    Considering the current state of business on Antique Street, it was clear that such a small shop was unlikely to generate any transfer fees.


    The reasoning was straightforward: with poor business, many shops were incurring losses. Most vendors could only persist while attempting to sublet due to their ongoing leases. They were also bracing for the worst, prepared to leave if they found no takers.


    Once the lease term expired, given the current losses, they would not be able to negotiate a new one-year lease with thendlord. They would have to vacate, returning the shop to thendlord and hoping to recover their deposits.


    Asking for a transfer fee now often meant holding onto the hope of escaping their predicament. However, as the lease neared its end, they would likely relinquish any unrealistic hopes of receiving a transfer fee.


    When Zhou Liangyun noticed the sparse inventory in the seller’s shop, he understood that the owner was likely in the process of liquidating stock. They would sell whatever they could, regardless of the price, but were unlikely to invest in new inventory.


    In truth, Zhou Liangyun wasn’tcking in funds; the transfer fee of over 100,000 yuan was insignificant for him.<fn2609> Follow current nov?ls on FindN()vel</fn2609>


    However, he was acutely aware that in a tightly-knit area like Antique Street, there are no secrets—everyone knows which businesses are thriving, their histories, the backgrounds of their owners, and any potential issues. It wouldn’t take long for the entire street to learn of his purchase before the contract was even signed. If it turned out he had been taken advantage of, he would be a topic of gossip and ridicule among the other merchants.


    Moreover, if he intended to open a store focused on collecting and appraising antiques, beingbeled as someone who had been duped could attract all sorts of deceitful individuals in the future.


    Despite his professional expertise, which would help him avoid being misled, the perception of dishonesty would lead to a constant battle against those attempting to take advantage of him.


    As for the appraisal business, it would be futile to even consider, as no one would pay for such services.


    Thus, to establish a foothold in Antique Street, securing a fair price on a shop is paramount.