 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a $ C" P0 o7 V/ S( {7 N) w
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
2 _! \: Q+ o* S! H7 f: w) Fbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all # Q$ c. U0 g4 v7 \- r7 D J( J
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 5 |8 e ^; d y( A1 u& A- H
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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2 V+ ]7 |8 o- ?+ p! ZSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
* G O6 B0 J- o$ [you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
$ ]0 p! A* s) x. oand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.): N& T; \9 j) j4 H
$ ~8 |/ c. m" d1 B- _/ X* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ' ~4 f$ G, k: U1 h0 ]. |1 f
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
) _3 M1 b5 y8 wseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 5 b4 D U! b$ [# _/ {8 X( A
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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7 ^3 p, t) h0 A5 s& a! [# r* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on / E! R% N' t- y) X! T- D; i
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not + f, e6 L+ b& g+ K' Y
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 2 s( ]/ c! t2 H- @" I
having a powerful psychological impact.1 z. |3 I( y$ O: C/ N
, @! h; |7 n7 U7 L0 b- e5 x. ?* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
+ ?0 X9 Y5 v" t3 l% m! ucompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in d+ }9 N2 i( D( w4 n7 P% z
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
# l2 C a) M% v8 I7 }' ?4 p" nthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you . Z! b" u2 d! A1 g: K
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get " ]' B% L1 x. U
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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, J" _, }; x! _) Z5 Y* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another . y# U% f; _# n
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ' I- _0 [) j) V+ V4 l8 ?$ q+ |
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
: g$ q5 J# q: {% Bprice.
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9 h- f2 {5 I) ^! s4 d' j2 z, c1 b, n9 Y* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
+ c' B+ n' l! S5 D6 v9 Rbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s , x9 a3 a0 k f+ i
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of g" D" X2 L) U% U( d1 V
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
, u5 ?2 G9 m2 m8 V/ mhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 9 x) H; g% ~' m; w! d4 _
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ) @! J, m- i5 r9 s3 i8 a
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
0 M' R' k6 w$ o% B" Rdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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9 k( p5 O* O5 A* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
+ R6 u& z' Y# E$ v+ N# B5 k4 i, P& [your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
- ]& {% s2 V; |$ Y0 eprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 8 k6 @; P4 l" }4 ` C
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The & e8 j# e/ J$ c, d/ |+ U; t; z
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the : M0 W8 C, H. m" ]/ `$ N. h
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing * ~; a7 m, x/ A6 d# n+ S: E( _
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 1 U7 T/ |# W( b: R Y' G
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 6 C$ K1 ~& x5 Y* |
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just + _5 R# w4 u4 V- G& }
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
g6 c, [ y5 ?' s% m8 s' \2 Sbuyers in during the bubble years.! r/ A7 f- u. F5 m" }
7 F1 W- h5 }2 D) O, l; Z6 q* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
* b3 y( `- `+ Z" W) p. Ddie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you , e/ A: D* U& R, n1 A' \9 X5 z
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but % l7 |8 g; w0 w0 U( V/ G
he’ll close. |
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