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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
1 ~, C. H+ Z7 vfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ( l" i; D ^0 T6 b) c
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
' A& ?2 w* b# X+ Wthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 2 B# J2 n& W( J& ?
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.1 y/ \, m( [9 l) j& [" F, i
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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
) @5 b( S3 O- V( \1 E v; Wyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this / i- d" ^5 s& b: E' O V" z
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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5 M, M! l. l" o# j* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
& @( a( B- _/ I" A# ?+ y+ e3 Gproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
; u+ L* Y$ ^3 x1 m# C lseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
3 D- K' M. h5 |+ ~1 k3 Z6 iget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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* ]0 Z+ R( u2 ], m* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 1 G0 M* W4 l3 o! K: W1 O$ `" [
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
8 v2 n i6 G" w O7 |+ [) Y/ Jcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while , E4 J0 g, e1 `6 \3 ~
having a powerful psychological impact." `; _# b1 M9 o. g1 m2 O1 v
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 4 {- u& t+ h1 @1 k% X; V1 K, P/ ? ~* O/ \
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
" V# o; M1 p9 a0 z! korder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
' k5 ^) I7 B1 L2 m0 {0 g) V. z4 U: qthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 0 ^ v5 V! O: ^+ }' z1 a
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ; d+ z K8 z+ p$ O" H K% p; X
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
- S w4 @1 u) Y* L* U, H. cproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know - ^ x- t+ S3 Z: U ?
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that : v& V' \5 J$ @! @
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
2 P. X. ]5 s# ]% o0 ]& a4 Ibusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ; v4 I% J9 E* A$ i/ {1 K7 ~0 f
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 7 y' B. A8 I2 _, T& m
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 7 g$ |2 @+ p( z' V3 H0 U: `5 m
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
4 e T$ E" v- |& Ithe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! r" m+ ~+ I5 w
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
. P9 V. a8 g1 Q2 T* I- a: ]! fdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.. \: m1 B, i( E1 G, ^8 p
0 i6 }4 p1 a# f* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 8 q, Q* v3 r+ F5 h' q3 m
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
! d5 f9 g$ W$ V, ^3 d- u( L' Iprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
7 N9 T# K( Y8 h' I qyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 7 a& \4 M- ]* O1 n
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
" H# ^- s' G6 Bbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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/ Z" ?7 ~% v- I" v, L$ X* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
/ j- [+ E7 d$ \properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
* i! c' B. T7 d+ O) pwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
/ Z$ W' Y2 Y9 Lto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just " ^, e( c( A' }, w8 U6 u
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
8 L7 u/ [, P; X' jbuyers in during the bubble years.
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/ c; X6 ^% D% W/ Z) D! S: k* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it $ F% g/ N3 s2 a* L
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 2 j% L8 a/ P, T5 |5 G
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 8 H4 |, E( d P) r
he’ll close. |
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