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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
" \' y6 S% e0 W* l" H* `' yfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
2 J5 @. o! v- s3 [* I. O( D; Ybottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ; ~, T3 b! S- K, c+ z
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 8 @. a5 i0 R- p& x8 ]$ _
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.1 K; V0 I+ z$ K3 W0 }/ i% E! b
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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 " z, o B8 d% n
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
: N, X' N5 E. M; {( w7 I* j! iand 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
1 g( X; m0 n/ ~- Kproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ; k" j$ ^% A5 s) w
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you . F, b, Y5 Y+ Y, ^. j5 A
get 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
! S7 s. @" X& I8 Q9 s& z) Mthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not . b9 M' _: A; z" j- B+ n
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ( h; _% C/ C* c# X
having a powerful psychological impact. n* Q7 Y @* C4 F+ c& O
& s' |6 c- X ?4 w7 _& p* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 0 }7 J# C% d5 [3 u& f
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in + F: W* M: k# o3 Y
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
. a6 p, l8 g% M, }, \8 q7 ~the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ) I/ j' |' l( T5 H8 A
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ' R. g" a; n* V
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.9 ], V" Q" _4 T4 c( o
! t' Q4 E+ l- [' g& l* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another + {8 n* A) g5 q3 V% x L( ~3 G. a
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 5 N) B) T" e4 k [8 e
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that / v$ |' {. z# `# Q: T2 {( g, a
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five + F1 x- B# [+ q7 ]. |' J8 A+ {& e
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 2 I; o8 w# k5 T' K# w) U8 N
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
3 l: q5 j% D/ |4 Iwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you ( k% ?, p# A) \2 p6 ~0 Q7 l
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
: Z1 B! O# _3 P9 b, qthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
8 Q9 {+ N# l; Y! |8 W8 tSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
4 D) g) V4 i) f- odie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture., k M% L/ U" C) F* Z q
@5 O7 Y3 y1 L* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
# b" V* T/ h+ K3 d6 N |+ jyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
$ r3 F* V5 O& }7 _$ E" R4 Rprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
1 m: H$ D" w& I4 A8 H1 r* Byour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The - o2 }; m5 L" `. g# }
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
& C* W. Z, r9 N0 h7 |& K% V8 ^better chance you have of securing the best deal.% M! w+ }! Y6 B$ \; O
( d& _( @. P' N* ~* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
* h Q& S: m# P" _# s& w& \- cproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
: G ?, a/ M& Q, [& B! _: ]* p/ y6 Qwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 4 f% E) m5 R/ i8 y" Z* ^1 T& \) u- ~" Y
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
6 p' Q0 h& P) u1 {* @ tconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
6 b) { i# x: P+ X, m7 }6 kbuyers in during the bubble years.. \" D! b) L J2 q1 j6 r" Q l( o
6 L0 a9 E% D- K* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
0 W6 O4 ^. C' R( J, Ldie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 8 |. b9 e1 h1 `$ U$ J! k
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 9 x9 d9 ^2 ^# d, v
he’ll close. |
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