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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
& s: i' W% ~( |. y6 pfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
) y3 C6 o$ e7 Jbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
1 c; J \+ }' d; c* Tthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ; _( |; J1 Z/ r( ^2 E! s
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
! o0 F. g5 {' N3 yyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this " E# i% ?+ {, i0 K
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
8 E1 t; a9 A1 i9 L* Dproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
9 Q1 r4 J1 c- Tseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
# F1 p$ ~2 `0 w+ T X/ v5 Xget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.$ V, j* i, ^8 u" ]2 H% h
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on + q4 |+ K( \. Q5 A
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not . A3 i6 F! }4 y# f- ~: A0 I
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
4 e9 ` ^) L0 a* Q: y' G) ^having a powerful psychological impact.
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* h3 h( ?7 n' e) @! Q$ Z- J' P4 I* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
2 Y$ }6 X4 L, T* c X, Icompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ~. f4 }3 w$ z, t9 {8 X1 }. ?
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on - {) m5 j+ W% |' `' Z/ S, F1 u( L
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
3 }- ?+ q- P Z7 C. ] Onever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get + z1 s* h: I8 K) }: Y/ e" P+ {
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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" [! L' m p8 P+ R* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another * Z! K& E% ?+ L
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
0 M6 f3 e/ c9 S" A" r- Athat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that , j5 f/ U& p( j2 T5 i
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five " A' C% \* y* p! H
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
* F+ G* s9 E# R6 y) N2 A# {. b! Texpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
9 R h# u( q3 ?+ g' Z9 w* v! w7 i( kwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you $ Y! D% R/ q/ J
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
: @- q( D1 n5 sthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
/ d: \: ]% u6 N+ h* e8 mSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will : G/ X! j- a; d. w9 R4 n1 B9 j
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
; G' x/ g8 }$ { q0 A; h% o% o# [your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
# N, Q' h- h$ ^/ I3 Sprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into # }( U6 B: c: c# \2 c
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The & N' r! o- |4 f! v. {2 P
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 8 K0 Q1 K; \& G, H7 k1 L% M8 Q% ]
better chance you have of securing the best deal.) @8 A, m6 |$ p) F( L# C
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
0 l) R/ G7 x: w9 c" {1 {+ Zproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
/ H2 R: ~. D' h4 iwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do # c4 Z& Y# j" j7 g0 D e8 }; O$ [
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
4 p! F/ \ y$ N! X( Uconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ' C6 P, ~8 T6 V
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* r0 n1 y$ w( J3 {* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ' |6 j+ r A1 Z# ]2 r
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
$ n* z( Z+ i- H7 a" ?* X R' x& w uwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
5 ?, P( |# W) c0 ^he’ll close. |
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