 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
" ]. m( S' { A! M W1 l1 y; Sfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
# |1 E; T9 m6 K2 }, l7 z% [8 zbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all : @7 {/ v2 ~9 U& E% q
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
$ n6 K# {$ ~, I% u6 Hbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if # y Z7 V3 `! Z7 r9 l9 c/ B" G
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this / c _: W2 S( M" u2 W; J/ e* o
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)0 |- z6 O; A) a: r8 A
' g" j5 Z: l7 g* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
0 D3 ]+ U2 A% W/ P7 gproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 8 o) ~# p: U4 p6 ]3 ^, F
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
1 u" s; \5 u& U4 Wget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.+ e: f0 d4 r$ Z* [
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
1 H' w8 ^6 S2 d' ithe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
+ }" d' g4 \' J( w- @8 o6 B, Lcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
( b# b- d- o8 D0 x( s( Qhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is * @( ?$ x5 e4 F. U5 ~/ I+ h
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) R! Y& q# F3 B+ k& J* V: u# D8 ^
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
: U1 a# K( _- |3 a# o- `the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 9 o: O( m) t7 J9 ]
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
; B) v* s* w4 o/ q: S+ \what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.& W- \# |# S5 E% ?1 X
- C+ _( k" D- P( c) f8 N( {* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
' Y3 h% h* D% k: f: rproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 3 g# u( ~* i* L& d) A' \/ `
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 2 W6 g8 q. X- t2 I3 e" [
price.6 E8 T# ]: o# S0 H2 k6 W
4 R$ U0 M. \4 Q- M* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ) s$ x3 N3 T1 q1 ?0 d3 e
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s % ?- a6 K0 k5 P& F0 S
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 0 z% m8 s9 I7 J# R7 S
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 5 m: P8 m2 D/ T+ x0 j! d0 y
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 9 W% f& Z( b" N$ Y
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ' Q! C" b6 H# m7 P8 D) Q. o
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will " Z" b; J" n6 }1 l0 j' ]
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 0 z2 Z, s$ }7 R, I9 T
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
& t+ f+ e# T0 N2 s& D/ e( nprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ; ]; @% ? W+ E0 U) q4 ?0 i: x* h8 p
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
* @% ]2 O3 _; K) m: w! o, j; a2 S- }more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ) E1 m* c+ e- J# { ~5 M7 O* {
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
% V# c- V; K4 x2 cproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ) q }& z% z5 v. I! d; G" D6 v& [
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do + k! |+ {/ \7 C$ ?' i
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just * ]% d( p- P) r) v) S
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed Z) }- K7 Y) x0 t* _1 u; \6 l
buyers in during the bubble years.
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# Z$ u# P" e" y- ^* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
0 l) H) G) G) Y5 \8 ?2 pdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 4 i$ D( ?1 x4 V. x" F+ P& j C' T
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
& V1 ~4 v N9 \3 e, C; Fhe’ll close. |
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