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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 4 C/ {" K! [# p2 w! U
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ) A; }! p: l2 _8 L: T' u) a
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all % U2 X& C, e- ]' p8 Q" S
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
. E$ d8 y* V) D- G( D% l9 [begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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* x- L$ ]' C/ d6 ]So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
' v4 j5 C% k9 l1 tyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
$ x3 i5 h/ F* @* m9 `0 I% _. aand 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
. Q, l/ H6 [" H6 _0 O0 R+ xproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken % E/ `/ v9 P: G7 E, T$ ]7 h
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 5 J3 ^) G' w$ L: S% D/ R6 F; Y6 M
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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, E s; v z7 q* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 7 s+ {, r4 o# u, L; L' A( E) p
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not . t8 I$ T6 S; S% j3 C
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
4 {" ^. s, _$ h; l! a0 ?" \having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
- Q0 d2 M0 H- O: s) Z x/ tcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 9 j! X& ^5 i1 _% c
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on $ I3 C% w9 U2 G9 s( P) H
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ! V( Z1 t: c: c
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 6 E" u! D/ i8 l$ }1 X O
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price., F& e. x! |; g. g$ u+ U! h
0 n6 Q. n2 M3 ~' z; g. A0 ^* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 5 J! C# B7 b+ u4 A' L* k
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
0 E$ n8 b% T+ s' x! l; N& n9 Q, Kthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
9 n' N d3 x! z6 |price.
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5 _1 N" N4 Y1 b, a c* T$ c* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five * Q. y( ?/ B( B2 o) v' J4 Q
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
& y8 B/ D$ C3 N: h7 a& c* eexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
9 H5 Y9 R3 V' x: i2 f4 Fwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
) C/ y) U5 _1 Hhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of / k Y6 [, v7 p7 ^# J) J7 }8 i, ]
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 3 Y. i) g( k- R; D
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 5 R- K6 T& |" n3 k: K
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.( i! U6 v, j& |% O
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
: |: u( ?) T, Z* @# x; Z* b9 Kyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 3 s3 W- ? v; Y7 }9 I
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into + d/ H1 P( R+ ^7 G6 w- |( Z8 Q
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 7 k, I9 Q, a& d7 t' u( o" z0 H
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ' Z% a& O; c6 O4 v5 x3 U
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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+ B. l: u- N K' a4 f5 q- N: E* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
3 X: v9 I) H1 y. s% t# b8 R/ E& Fproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
) I, n) \ l6 H1 \/ X7 c2 _will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
3 f& ~: Y# R4 i5 F4 r5 a4 h4 Dto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ]& W/ \; l: L
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
! S# N! W1 Y: E6 O+ J: d3 L$ Ybuyers in during the bubble years.
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3 m4 Y+ U6 A) I# s# K7 T) b. t* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 2 b' X! i# c8 d6 S* x" j
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 4 A! L3 ]% o" I* A( _
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 9 {0 c4 b9 u% [# R4 F
he’ll close. |
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