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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a ( J; P" ?6 U, ?' a# e! Y+ Z
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
0 p4 D" V5 c2 f9 h; D- F5 g5 q5 Vbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
" i, n# t$ A5 k* D. X: p6 Jthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
! y& w/ s4 c3 sbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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4 }9 H: ]9 s a( FSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
% h9 ^. a' ^7 z0 iyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this : m( W, l% w- l: S% j9 ?; W9 G
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.) o8 R2 c4 L7 ?4 S. _
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many " B6 Q: @& T! a( p: j% s& }1 Y. B
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
# K& M3 k( W% A& S3 \seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you % ]2 T( }& S. }; z4 F5 g0 Q
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.2 r( `- A# W+ T; d+ v: K; N. \
# t5 A# V: V* Y2 I3 i+ l* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
" H% _( a: [5 ^# q5 N& `! Wthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 2 f J. o: u/ E& f( U
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while " E( {3 ^8 p, c1 D
having a powerful psychological impact.* K" p6 e( T0 ~) l4 _* t1 r; }: ~
7 v% K4 B- g% G3 e* n2 }* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
" E7 u" I5 p7 ?4 W8 Mcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
. _6 h: W0 b S$ e5 Xorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
: [1 i& ^% l! F2 w. \: Xthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 5 e. ~! Y" \5 g
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get + c: E+ F% O# J( m4 M6 H8 H, |4 M; I
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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6 ^. R( g' b m7 M# B& p* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
3 S7 z7 [; \# O% O5 ~( vproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
$ y! [4 Z6 N) |* e. ?that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
6 y- ^, A/ a: E- H* nprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 4 _- ?$ |5 ]& j- l7 `
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
$ a- \; y) h2 x$ Rexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 g. O9 f0 U0 G0 h" m
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
1 [. M( {! g: l8 D7 A! chave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of . x7 }- v0 V" Y4 b6 {
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ) H5 A" l K+ U3 D4 e
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 8 ]3 T( Y& `1 g+ e( @
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.+ ?) H; C( p2 `9 G# Z" Q
. V/ i9 b% v8 g0 W4 [* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
* O2 E d O0 pyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
8 ^6 D2 j2 y9 s' P5 s vprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into " y1 [1 H0 @) H8 _/ Q- W$ }
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
( u5 `' [, c; \) lmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
* f5 }+ {0 H; ]5 T: t2 e4 T2 Hbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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/ J+ N6 ?$ c8 ^3 b8 Y* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
4 b/ n3 {% o; n* Tproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
* ^) m- H7 T8 Y* G- o- hwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 6 A! e4 |6 n" F3 T& y
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 6 n) _& K( I7 E, f
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 2 P2 U- X( Y! U2 _$ U0 k, V
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
+ h# u0 u5 m6 {. V8 xdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
" f, S5 m8 q, t+ t5 `1 y' iwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
$ y( ~. l: g! G9 X8 Ohe’ll close. |
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