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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
Y9 S2 ~( d& y! z+ G7 p7 U9 b0 ifalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
: m; g' a. h6 w) a0 ]bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
/ f" W* v. {# ?% t& k. L- I: ethe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
7 o2 G- R6 h8 A J6 k! Ibegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.' m( E: r7 L9 E- A# [
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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
, o9 z* e/ L& O5 G. F1 e0 K: ^you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this / _. C2 g( M0 O& [6 v
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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) f* k: H( `# \, l* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
% z. `2 N- a$ ?properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 7 J& }2 h3 m- @, ^6 I- D
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
3 Z1 L$ o# u% F9 c2 |- U0 [get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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7 x- I8 w' ]' F/ P5 O# F* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ( P/ E* y5 L8 h6 v* m
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
5 G y( j) }) h. A' R% @: X0 w9 Ncashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while % _- x5 f; f. U: ^! @) b: W1 g
having a powerful psychological impact.3 H" ^8 ?/ {/ d# k) \- z
' U0 R! Q+ y/ B: |' v* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 7 L s3 U; _- S( d' ^. ~9 q
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
: B, M( ?) Q) P$ a ]2 H9 U1 Uorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
; e: L$ L0 c" S; H4 A0 H9 athe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
5 D% w/ V2 U' z( A* Tnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
$ ?* L% n7 J1 G; c. Lwhat 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
$ K( U9 N% m6 v/ {( L5 J* `property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 8 q9 Q2 k4 M: U9 F% M
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that - d6 D+ Z6 f2 ]6 }2 i& K9 u0 @
price.
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0 o" S5 Q5 T& l: x% o& E! u% A* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
8 G6 ?" P2 ]8 {6 Bbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s & p" a' ^7 ?' I
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 0 ]! M9 Y( o6 ^9 x h
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
0 p5 S2 v2 f; ]* ]. R( z( Khave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
1 m9 j1 z, L' N Lthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
9 J( L7 _) _2 d1 o9 zSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will * O/ D8 o" X# L: W
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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- A/ t- [+ K0 `* L! D* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 5 L! |1 l9 w) w, F
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
) Q9 P6 P! I; @6 H. u$ B+ uprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 1 ?' T) n$ m9 r3 @& i7 {! H
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
, y$ g6 l1 o9 e' bmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the % y# U) O# L, y
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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" b2 j3 j" ^0 V; u- R4 b1 {" d' p* }* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing ( M6 h8 _) F) K! q
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 4 z0 ? e6 u( B; S
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do & N4 y r: w" }* q. A. ]1 \
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
% A, q% p( N3 R1 {$ q Y% d3 V1 Nconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
' B& s+ m \# {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
l. k" W5 y; udie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 7 v. F, O% v+ u) U1 }: ?) I
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ( Z- p9 X D+ B8 z$ U
he’ll close. |
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