 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a ) j8 f- _! h9 K. @. L& A" \
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the . _+ P* I( s2 `& V* Q5 B7 S
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all * Y/ R* K. _0 C
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
1 L n4 A8 O+ |4 Mbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
1 b! x9 e+ z, q! A4 {9 k5 H# Z. @$ d! U
So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
$ o/ f5 y, z% u! i9 Jyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
H! j+ m' A% d* Qand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)& D* c9 [+ H$ k. H+ {
$ Y8 y% c- t1 ~1 Q
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 6 ?8 B0 i1 q. _; f% _4 r
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken # {/ ]! M+ g, r, j- L9 J/ M; o
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
+ J4 E" u8 j5 k; W. q' y$ wget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with./ L& I: |- \; t' W8 t3 M
9 ?' A/ l2 }* |9 O: g* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ) Z" o! ^" y3 ^9 D ^ u0 m" [
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
8 Y3 e V2 @2 U8 q! `cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
8 u( c K, k* \ ]3 N: Z% i ]4 p6 Xhaving a powerful psychological impact.
. C- y. I, \1 _) u+ V! f. P, V4 C) I7 j6 V: n1 k* Y$ W
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ! d9 U: |2 f$ C. w* x1 A
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) v9 V5 T* U( _ A# i
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
' ~1 p6 Q3 c2 h# hthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you v" p7 m0 @8 J) U: p- I- \
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
$ |% A, N8 Q/ T/ l0 |, c- v" Fwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.5 q' v' g4 L5 B& G3 s
/ S# H: `4 E1 o* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another x7 ]' s' x# X' B% W* ^
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know - q" w. B' p) Z3 a# y" a" W+ V
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that , [! _ b" ^% C6 c" z3 T
price.
6 Z. s9 y W5 i2 r. s8 I( e& m, u v! n3 X( a$ [. h
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 0 n! Y+ h C8 Y$ c" h6 v- g
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
; N6 O! l6 \5 Vexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
% U- t* T. X( uwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you $ P* j; E- t2 \) I" h, U
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
& Z# t0 C& ?; X h, ^& vthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
( B' s) I5 b; ISince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ' t* y8 u, q0 h G0 |6 x, E' [
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.3 l$ E. S S. c& ?
, W' o6 }4 |9 R# b3 c, l! ^
* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have - r' i# \5 u5 A: G" o- @; m
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the . [7 z9 o# x# t5 v( i8 i! q1 u: s
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
9 t1 g. {( s- w) dyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
4 g7 E8 S3 u' t$ U; s S$ {1 F" Gmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
( P/ Z& ^! G) ^2 Q& Mbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
7 G$ M& p" h7 H* m5 G
4 Q$ Z+ b( ~- w- r/ i* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
1 W7 `$ `) c$ Tproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That - W1 f/ a5 w; F4 W7 p3 D
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
0 q, N. E) {, V a% ]1 tto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ; q- R# p& @% D0 L
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
# P, U4 M3 W( q# L/ Vbuyers in during the bubble years.! ?7 W; X; ~/ h+ L0 X
/ f; I1 [) \9 Z
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 0 c2 e, ^9 g2 \. R) H/ X0 C
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
?& v8 L: z7 U. i* s i. g' }will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but , ~( U) g9 X6 S( c. x2 A5 L/ \& \$ H M
he’ll close. |
|