 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
4 l+ s3 X9 y3 Q( q( t- M! K9 u) Afalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
3 X5 o/ M4 [( l% l5 A# X! Sbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ' k1 `2 B6 n' U
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
3 l. f5 d( k+ ]% R$ ^& Bbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
7 {" I- I% F& n; A, i5 S
4 R" V* S. [- H {( pSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ) k( q9 o4 G- @
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
! z5 d' h' N' ^& W# ^and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
4 O# ]+ g7 A6 U: X8 Y
0 P O2 K5 g' m, \% f, [% z- g* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ) N. z7 I) |1 k; @9 `
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 2 d1 A6 L/ e; Y9 E
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you , ~ T3 [( \# L7 w/ r
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
+ O+ |# {) V' |5 `6 S! o& s* e% l* ^
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 5 S5 q% O7 @2 o! \$ B
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
M9 c$ g6 X+ d- H& ~! G& T/ ~cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while & h6 e, f* R$ l& \9 O* x
having a powerful psychological impact.
) c( ?% T* M* }6 ?- P% u) [7 j1 y$ o; O. a$ K5 v7 e. ^
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
/ U: {. y5 {, Z( z$ U, V" g5 W, d" vcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 1 ]6 U! u' g. J" R
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
; a: ~% J8 D7 z6 q0 Athe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you , B0 p$ i* v' Q9 m# z0 _
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 0 G/ r9 W, O% f) J# Y3 I$ T
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price., I$ S. G7 i. w. h) _, A* t) S
- ~7 K2 ]$ l/ i+ L! }' K# t' d" h
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ( O3 ~1 n4 f: @) A
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
* V1 k% ?0 f7 xthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ) ]% F( S+ f* ~0 B- @1 E: R1 v
price.
: t3 ]% e! N/ \
! p- N( d9 l: Y& k; T- H4 \: |* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 9 T! z" b2 Y& l3 k
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 7 N( k- l5 p( D
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
1 s3 k5 q# K+ Fwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
2 ^2 |9 i- b, H7 { fhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 5 j. r/ r6 R! \+ ] E" {
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 5 ^7 S2 N8 X; Z9 H. r
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will % x% Y$ p. V. ?4 e8 M& `2 s
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
0 t7 Z8 ` r; z# i3 h% }3 q* a( {1 r9 R% q, }. y) ]( V$ k; }
* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have , H) A) [% N; i) x5 {
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the $ E+ \3 y6 \1 m
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
( j1 w# U$ A" Q0 y1 ^& qyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 3 `# I s) F: W0 p, a
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
X+ V4 L* Y0 {* L2 O& B* Fbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.5 g* X. [4 x1 X9 [
v9 U: z2 o9 z; ^, G# N* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; [# T$ t! @1 U$ X) O1 @* a; S# |& ^& A( ?properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
) i6 [: _' Z) N. j8 G: |" d3 B0 Qwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
- Q: F% g3 R0 z5 f- Cto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 6 v3 H5 C4 W4 A- ^) m
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
0 b3 ~/ N1 K% v, S7 B5 l: J) Mbuyers in during the bubble years." J( J4 V" E) ?3 U, V0 F
k" b1 J9 [- v2 K# R
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it * Z) w# G t' B# {; W4 I% Y% F
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you * c8 R& L$ h W/ P! u! i
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
2 e O# a- D; O, E: L& J- Ghe’ll close. |
|