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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 6 ^* s6 F: U7 r6 o' }
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
9 V/ c! d9 J: Q: J4 kbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all # ^) t$ J/ d8 B1 w
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ( J) R* B; u5 h j4 }# |, [
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.! M- t/ y- o1 W( q+ E
6 g& {4 m8 y. Y7 _2 t6 [So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if & P8 t6 d0 H4 ~0 [) R0 i* ]& k' o* f
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
* f+ R0 q. H/ c- K" qand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)1 F- F6 s) P- J" {# j
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many , A- @5 X* M9 p% P
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
( M; }9 \5 K) P. E7 {+ V6 Bseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
" S' U7 s* [% `6 W7 Kget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ! X7 d( ^/ @) ?, Y5 ~6 P7 E
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 8 _( |6 F* P$ O- z' w0 y
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ! j' s& q" z, y+ d- G
having a powerful psychological impact.' o; o" i2 T H* O
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ' M |/ W+ F' w( T6 Q4 g4 k
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in . t# h1 X6 _5 C. w8 d& K
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
, ]6 T2 L; N+ K( fthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 2 [- ], A' q/ I9 g
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 3 X- D2 ]0 ?! ~1 V8 Z
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.' V+ s1 m. ?& d
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 6 @' b( a' \/ {1 t2 f' R0 [- ]
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know " M7 J5 O2 |! U# J
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
. ]0 Z6 b! A% z7 Z% d a& w. yprice.
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( t h$ h3 D" u! a7 R* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
1 D5 j+ J% l$ W' q4 Y+ X' ?business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
% N$ n8 f5 Z+ B( i/ b# Qexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
/ s0 I% w. h' I% d7 V1 Wwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 6 g* [0 k6 O4 {8 ?$ L$ X
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of / @4 B; g! O) |, z8 D
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
3 Y* o0 [9 d7 ^Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will " s7 o$ Q: V2 F9 |0 b% W
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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3 W9 b$ q1 ?; X E& W* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have # K; _% X# C6 x
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ^) R9 M! R0 @; f. Z$ @
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into : _' E2 s! e1 {) s
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
5 o% v1 G& U$ E: qmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
# F p1 o E6 _" @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 - L" \* e- Y) Q. C4 b' @0 ~5 m, c/ U
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
% l7 ~ W& O$ ]4 A b( G" ^$ Fwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do & u& Y7 |* w) o! A/ G$ f
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
& E. ]% n- u) Cconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed $ r* L( D- U) \; v6 k! M
buyers in during the bubble years.1 L. y3 E) |: x0 B4 V
( |% q8 X# O& p( c6 G* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it : p& V! O# \! o5 _* Z. J
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
* ?* e6 ]% M- H2 B* mwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 9 P( Z, a% _0 L7 q6 y4 _( @0 f
he’ll close. |
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