 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 : h' P+ ]. {# C$ d8 c% A
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
/ h7 @! Y; P* X' w, |. n" Dbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
7 W5 z+ y4 ]1 ~the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
8 i9 S$ K& g1 b9 e" f2 P- j. gbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
7 t" {( I# p; ^+ I3 }: \: [% E7 h# L& _
So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
! ]: }& \; W! B% ?) G' y) n5 P' `you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 7 z# T" E. j; P& h) W) y
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.), u. x5 i' b" a2 n8 J
+ M0 z% n5 A. R6 Y
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many / L7 y- O0 @( A# B$ k" q
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
# ?3 P( b4 P% o. I/ oseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 4 {9 r$ ]6 ~; B7 \0 q
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.) z* o* R8 H A5 T; v6 M
6 B) Y. x L4 X. l! j8 ]3 h* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ! |+ O4 S) j* P/ h7 _
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
J- _8 K S0 [cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
- Q) O& ^1 D" n6 P5 d1 ihaving a powerful psychological impact.1 n; x3 V1 ^+ Y! J9 d4 b( v ~
" I% b) D4 A+ k; I- K- Q; v$ G* C8 u
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 4 s" |+ i. w$ e$ T9 ?& x: E! G
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
" \; m. U2 R) Border to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
, P; Q6 W/ {6 ~* qthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
' W; X0 N5 h' {* r0 unever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
9 [# }0 p/ U+ U2 z5 w4 M( owhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
0 j/ g/ F3 z2 y5 F4 H0 F
8 u: c) j3 @+ `1 H5 K$ `* ]* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ' T# ]) |. F6 I
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
9 Z% K2 m) j: B: k N" x# h* Zthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
3 _; u b# a, F3 d L e0 [' z1 Sprice.
7 {9 I5 v e$ i$ q7 B
5 s, C! H- {5 J" h l0 i* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
$ h0 u- X7 N+ H! g& jbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
* x- B0 E/ i8 o8 vexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 3 e9 V& h; A: }. r1 }) M
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you ' s5 P! M" D, W4 e/ g6 i
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of + l& o& J3 l3 r: Y* x
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 4 r/ g: J0 r7 B2 V( ^$ f0 `1 q
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
( L2 E/ {. ]2 H0 Q4 @5 C' {die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
2 J! l( i9 O5 @6 P) D# M
6 ^& X$ Q1 }( J6 G7 b% i+ W ]* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
( _7 t$ z4 x+ U$ U! Nyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the . J, T0 f6 g3 M$ I0 X
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into % G9 N, [3 T; s. b+ o0 ]
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
8 H# ~9 ^) y* m7 l; k! z, X( t0 Qmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
* O$ t7 G7 f/ K5 `9 R5 @ _# qbetter chance you have of securing the best deal./ W# a3 V/ f& O/ n; u
9 d6 q1 v( V* T" i$ G5 R7 i9 U
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing * o1 }7 r2 h9 Y
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 1 o, y' B# p# R2 V# w
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
- L2 n# c: k8 Z! ?0 ]) K6 pto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
. h2 ]9 e3 K2 @9 q# econsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
( [) M3 v% |0 Ybuyers in during the bubble years.
2 M5 D, j1 _* K7 R; j4 a
+ O( U2 K2 R( R/ V6 I, }* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ( y" P$ K$ P' O- y1 B, h2 B. m
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you , j0 I+ g( P8 L, Q- o" z. U/ ]
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
, [! z" i3 f0 ^" e! F7 Ihe’ll close. |
|