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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a ' E! g( n* }& d5 Q# p e! F
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
! Z* B6 u. C! Cbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
& u4 o4 p; @+ Y6 `, p1 vthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ! }2 m, Y- o7 ]1 W% d% z( |: G% @
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.6 M+ b% W8 R" x$ J3 M5 E! i0 R' }, }! c
; N+ Y5 k: p- oSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ) e1 M3 l5 d& {) j2 k0 K' `
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 2 a' s3 i5 G5 p% _% c% s
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)1 c n' L1 J2 ?! ]5 H
' W0 \" t8 ^: C( Q* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
o: Z/ `2 N: x" mproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ( ~* n& S: Z2 ]
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
% I4 \4 F4 g+ y. e6 }get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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! t @: L" D9 U5 L# f! N! f* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
7 C& u* a8 G% w) ~9 zthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not : H8 u8 o+ s0 A, u0 B
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
2 i0 Q% e" l7 }$ E) nhaving a powerful psychological impact. e V* \* J, _, M+ A
+ D3 M3 J2 E, i/ \; k" t& g* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 M- c1 ~1 r7 o* w, r$ H
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
/ _4 c6 ^# j6 L6 Iorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
$ |, P7 H# S; e# y/ a9 V' S8 U- C1 nthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 3 F6 K' N9 ^; n8 s" t5 b% b, D. b
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
: m; L& m) _2 z, B* i* C! rwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.4 N7 M0 A- a% g
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 5 j1 D8 i b, m1 ]% p/ j0 o3 w9 \
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
7 }* D$ z- y; p1 w$ p* H: g Tthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
7 Q4 r7 ]4 m, @7 @0 o( M1 yprice.7 m4 [2 V% C4 V" d
* p4 `% _- b: O. Q3 v- K9 P$ e. D, W* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five , n) T, z% v5 N* m4 o i4 U* k/ [
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s . _- u: f: T* h& K
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 X/ J' x& _" Z8 j: E; E' [" V- j5 h
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you + H9 W+ O& t8 {4 a) G4 u% f. T
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of % z7 a9 T, _% ], y" \. H! t; J" K! v
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. & K& X: W7 A' G; K* I+ q# p3 M) t
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
; R( ~8 p3 g- i. U+ }die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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( f' X6 S0 `) }) Z' v# |* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 9 D* C7 J1 N) |% [0 o# X
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 3 t0 n: S$ A5 h3 h4 S u, g. d
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ' H# o8 E! j3 r) U7 L8 g3 j
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ) [+ g1 b; {, p8 a! P3 V
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
5 s3 G! a3 P! z, obetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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: |8 L9 ]4 }' n& v* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; V; X1 @9 m w# w# mproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
1 I, J' l& W$ N3 x' ?will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
) ^, e1 `4 l$ c0 Dto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
+ T; U( V0 s- ]- `consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 8 o3 s* k% H9 {' B+ ]2 ?
buyers in during the bubble years.3 R; b W# [: h' E- h
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
' z& [' ~2 }2 h0 z: S) |! u/ gdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ) Y" \1 n- ]% T* T8 n: W* j
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but $ H+ A: a0 Z5 o) d( s. b# l/ x
he’ll close. |
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