 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
/ U+ t" ~% M1 \$ p# e: R3 m4 W% _( Mfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 1 j; _1 @: D* Q7 }+ C" Y
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all . b Y6 |) ]+ ?4 F& a% Z: T
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
) e b0 U. f2 i& H2 B2 C* j& T6 T% Qbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.. S( ]" Z1 |$ T" i( |
$ B* k+ S- e4 P9 k4 N; v. GSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if & M: Q9 s7 K. T# D2 m
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this / w, _- D% n1 J) ?
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
5 J+ A% Y6 T. G" Z7 B
, ]" @" X* w( q6 K. p2 @+ r* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 4 ^1 `. k( _ [# p5 L, U
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken y3 W4 }# H0 E- V# [4 x
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you - m5 o6 h N$ X% X' _. X
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with./ S" j: P* t. ?; K+ p
: {( j* q- E6 j) G: ]; C6 t7 o* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 6 Q/ S! C& I# J/ |' Z. I
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
# T- D0 y. }* v; Xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ( C4 z' w/ U" z9 o" f
having a powerful psychological impact.6 Y: ^ Z! ]; v0 U
! R2 @" \% m. r& _* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 d0 f3 \* z8 L* t
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
3 y0 W7 S0 _, M, c9 d& D2 Yorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
6 @6 D5 v) N9 H. v7 Sthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
L, E$ E. O) x: jnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get . b; u9 Y; w. j
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
# w/ J0 W' M+ t; n3 I, f2 @; c# e/ A' ~
6 W; K$ y$ s. \; h, U K Z* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another # r* S4 S4 U; T" s2 Z+ e5 \
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ) r: }) c9 w/ O# f& H$ H* K
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
* t: Z7 q; [$ ]; j _0 N: _) }price.
3 K0 m$ ^% h% P* Z$ ]0 m" p4 C3 f' R" D. I( T" T% c0 `( F
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five * l: T4 r0 {& J9 R1 m
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
) @ t2 i/ G* _/ L0 p4 k# |+ _expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
4 f# g6 i6 j4 b4 L9 [6 K$ p5 A7 Ywork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
( B3 H' Z" \$ O: u6 ehave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
; S$ N1 t6 J) i3 V- V# c* O' Ythe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! u* u. x# }( [' D' g$ P8 @
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will }; L6 E2 z5 @& X8 ]
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
1 U8 t a; B0 |/ B- G: ^. t3 C7 p& I6 W$ f0 z" P; Z
* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
" g% k- _9 Q. K* x ^your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the + G! a) K0 v6 n+ B
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ! d$ ]9 n' G2 ]9 n) X4 s
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
* p6 e; T D0 Z0 mmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
: e6 t" z, _0 M. j5 ?9 U9 lbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.0 n* a2 {# {. x
9 ]8 n+ f2 {" k
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
- F) z# G7 s7 x' s: Gproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 0 I- C3 n/ p, b4 _2 v
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
7 w$ q9 ]8 w# a: A3 L+ _to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
% k6 N2 L9 k1 R; Z; a6 Xconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
9 R) S" _3 m4 \) _5 Hbuyers in during the bubble years.
! F0 w( _, Y. X' Z/ c A% D6 B2 ^% `" {5 z
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 2 U. c( M* c; ^/ u' {$ \1 O
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 1 f- u9 y* I* y
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but $ C8 s8 X N r% i3 Q
he’ll close. |
|