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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
+ Z4 p1 }; `" W1 S+ Efalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 3 h* I- z: ^/ g- ~; \ S! Q; N
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all / S. d7 U( @: j" X( y" g, d- _/ O/ K
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
$ D5 i9 K- W8 `3 A. zbegging 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 7 M3 V" G1 j1 f- h- E/ q: C
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this + r8 W ~3 [1 g6 R
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
$ s, p& Y7 X+ a3 U( Pproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
1 R* I6 k2 _% ]; S {# R9 Iseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
+ w7 M' z! `2 J# L4 Kget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with." u' G* |+ P' M# Y; X! k* Y9 R9 y
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
7 W1 X) @, i% g6 Hthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not : q% X' W$ Y8 J7 F& b9 U/ E
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
* \" G! Q8 R: ?/ Vhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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8 u5 h' R; P* T" H2 D! |6 X( s7 j* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is y4 q3 o' ^$ r% O# a+ C* S
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in : n) E9 j0 `* G. z4 r3 W
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 5 Z/ E0 |* q# p) `* W3 j( r
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ( i2 o" h e' N2 `9 ~
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 2 M8 o6 j- `0 R+ z- }
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another . h; ~+ q. [+ I" t
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
& L* }( B+ A) S q4 R) nthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
% l$ I) `# W0 `- }& A bprice.8 ^5 t% H i, r
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
% i+ p* X; t3 gbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 6 @% H# U1 K {6 `6 ^/ o
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
d0 |" R \0 owork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
- D9 w; \+ z/ Thave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ( C/ n, h! e! F8 R4 k! b4 W
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
{9 M% X& m3 |4 ?: N4 {: l lSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 3 C* n$ C( n$ w7 e. D
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 . l+ c4 K) h- j' W, [+ F; \1 {
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
D2 O! c" g8 h, c9 i! ~price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
7 T+ Z' s7 E5 ~3 I* q& J: syour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
( o7 G- a7 H$ A2 [% O5 ?7 p7 ^0 ^more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
8 ~( ^7 |* I* H, tbetter chance you have of securing the best deal., d) M5 G8 i4 I$ B: y% s
$ F3 l% f' l. Z& T2 H% T* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
3 I$ D/ N q2 S+ h3 @8 a1 t: t' zproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That Y8 ~/ E4 n1 `: `' K
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
) M1 F* p& Q& |. |1 D* }% ]to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
8 O( M D5 J$ f' Yconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 7 D" D3 F# D) Q n
buyers in during the bubble years., F0 F( i/ x& `1 m
( `: g" v+ s2 {3 S7 o* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 0 ~; I; N9 y! P `/ e
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you x1 ^. B. E* E$ b8 L {
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 7 ~* B6 s& f/ g/ d, |
he’ll close. |
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