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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a - D1 M9 J* R6 L
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
; g- y! I8 o* J. e: }bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
) C2 f6 y$ j4 Y; y' C" q# Mthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and / X Y. u' R# V" ]+ T( F4 x! F
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.5 P$ F. _0 h; l# ~
3 T' B1 @. d9 P4 T. Y/ ~2 y1 w) lSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 6 d4 G8 z: E& R; y( {
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this % L) o/ B& t3 r$ ]. u/ F5 N
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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4 g, y! n/ I0 b! r* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many . {5 ?' s1 j% t: z0 `0 a
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ' C8 }2 h; T9 Z! H
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
0 `- \ i5 W7 D; h& d$ f+ ^get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.- J2 L, G# z+ ~, d* J
# H' Q9 n+ ~/ x5 v& o# w* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on - i h0 ]% r% Q" V2 g e C* M
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
& Z, G# j5 l" w; C3 Z Xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
, R9 P7 {$ z0 F9 C1 ihaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 F/ Y4 a$ t5 b
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 3 F) G6 O/ n; G
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
- S8 `$ a) ~" f' ~( f, x! j# }the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
p: X4 l+ [# g& B+ X$ B9 T: T4 r# s6 Lnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get * B9 |+ g$ [ c7 F* G( ^
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.1 j6 B( q7 s, m h% u5 ?
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
0 f. e6 [( Z9 ?property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 9 T0 O" q3 I% M& N% ]
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ! `6 v3 r$ @8 O* \: I. i! @" k9 f
price.( @7 Z' r+ V. H: U( e1 z
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
2 ]" M; K* y2 j' q* \business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s : F! K9 K9 W( u; }2 W2 }; R
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of * E& H8 k: a! N) r
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 4 B* k3 d# q7 I
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
# Y7 i" V4 l- G# Uthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
; O* W3 P0 l) L% w& HSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will $ ]0 d9 H3 \8 m! o' O$ e9 G( l5 R
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.; R: e; `4 n" m: V
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 7 t. G" i* x2 ] a
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the g6 ~( ^9 F; i2 r' H! _
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
+ F/ \4 ~( E" u& @* I8 h+ ?your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ( Y/ l8 ~. h; D& }4 G
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
5 `% B! m8 y# D! Jbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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5 s4 t4 c! [! e, ~* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 5 a; j5 ^( k! g+ F$ `& v
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ) t* B% X# K4 [4 a; J! g+ c( P
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
' R5 m- g! A- E4 C- M, Uto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 8 A* t8 r- v2 F5 F& E/ g+ g+ c
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
6 u6 U+ w, u" }9 g5 U7 [9 @buyers in during the bubble years.
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( G. }3 a" Q' [5 F- O' Y* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it S) ^" a5 q6 C. T* h3 a) y1 x0 `# r
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 2 a# q, R8 }5 S' H6 P7 ~
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
5 G3 T+ q4 D4 bhe’ll close. |
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