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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a * }, b1 y0 r) p) t/ K7 M" U
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ( F6 o3 y5 p% c4 K% p# A
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all |1 n4 a$ H7 u9 x
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
4 O& M- G: i, O0 F4 p% h$ obegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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8 N1 B" G& H2 `9 F% gSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
2 e9 W, Y3 n% ^8 s; Nyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ~& G* U- n* X4 ~* F; e
and 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 ' O9 n1 H* ]5 y# Y' t
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
" j7 h# E/ y& q' h' cseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you , Y) l. c2 h7 o7 ]
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.& \2 `6 r @# v8 v2 y
7 m+ O! G; C) R! l' S* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
9 N! p6 h! J) ]# ~the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 7 @$ ^3 F7 ?# V, G, W1 a
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while , x+ l5 E9 D# D$ n, v ~
having a powerful psychological impact.8 Z- d9 S- f& X4 H& ~5 j
2 v( X$ D' y# Y: @* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is - d9 Y2 _2 G z9 E
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in * n& n" {( _: N$ C9 u6 s+ X e
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
& W2 P# f8 e5 L6 L! \the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you , X" j5 @8 n) V- \; R4 a; a
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get / A2 L0 m9 I3 v/ V7 n
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.# d! L1 a4 x. j& D- G2 ]
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ! \! K/ v: s' ] s5 E2 @; a6 T
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
, H) v8 g3 p$ bthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
5 }2 p+ s! u0 L9 p+ E7 ^price.
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+ F; \! E" ?" p V* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
6 A; i5 p& a# V4 |business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ; W; c- u( `! r% a! ?
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 1 W/ y6 D" N2 W- ~7 d8 F
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 4 o& D `9 x/ q
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
# ^8 G; P6 g! R9 m9 v9 Sthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! H( T9 }+ Y: B7 M9 O4 a. z6 S. S' X
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
# A$ K8 v0 p: l' y9 vdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture." s; |% v4 M5 e' j/ h, W, G
( p/ ?, C& i) n& F* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have ( K6 o D' f8 K. R. i# a
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the : v* P1 e+ @$ G2 Q2 i& ]9 ^/ B
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 3 w6 p5 C; Q$ p! K# J
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
# L+ B3 c: O# n# Vmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 5 s& L( Y" }3 J ?" P
better chance you have of securing the best deal.$ [( d9 _8 z/ ^
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
5 [. L: z' V! J; G+ M- l8 lproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That - c+ I5 K: L2 c
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 2 G Q5 C. g4 f
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
8 z$ e! C8 [& z( v0 Kconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed & ~/ |5 y/ t# U ?
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it , b0 _2 v( H. J8 w& r
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you , E' t3 N* d7 |0 G
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
! ^2 I+ _2 \* k: n# K. Ahe’ll close. |
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