 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 $ m, f+ ?# Y1 }' E
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
7 C: ]7 f( Z' ]! M& `# q0 |bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ) F; P$ c, H) Y2 S1 X# g- g( D
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and + d- e' R& U+ W! |" D
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.! Z) Q4 |1 A2 L3 d% {6 v
- s2 U3 a1 t4 E" k& qSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if * m0 x5 B, X) J- p9 l8 Q( }
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
+ j8 @) z$ N* S$ T' J3 m, e) Cand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)+ ?& @! B! |- _. b% T
3 c$ ], p3 O% k8 |4 W$ H# j* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
F( j: B6 b" l0 X7 `* Aproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
6 t" M8 w7 d; ]3 G. K9 ]seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
: [& u( @+ V6 ^. N1 K' S# M$ ]+ J7 R2 Lget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.5 V/ |8 ~* X8 y, Y8 e
. I% w) t4 f U% \+ C
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
7 A+ L; ?( ]' q$ zthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 7 g. `5 q3 _- E+ b6 l7 @
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ! j) o& {) Z7 h. n8 u% k
having a powerful psychological impact.8 [: \. i! U3 ~ L5 L4 M
( N0 v- }' m/ p5 V, m; q5 H* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is + S3 E9 @7 J( b w! [
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in % D) L/ t+ O3 R# ]$ n$ n h" |
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on . R! ~$ x, G* z3 d; F
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 0 n' P |9 t9 _( F+ O
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
8 r; R3 y8 O/ T; `1 K$ p5 i& Gwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
% w4 A0 X' D/ O0 N# M7 u$ H, `
( F' |1 U; h. Y( |' k* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
0 K- @! o6 H' Z& |# ~property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
% a% [! y. V+ N4 f; C4 H8 N" t; v3 q- Dthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that * @6 J$ V S$ F( a
price.7 v* ` d* `, a
+ Z) ~3 W2 F+ C+ A$ R: [* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
" _2 f( }1 g- X; F9 X7 Ybusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
) a2 a- g4 q0 a$ D- rexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
9 ?. @4 F8 P) n; i3 ~work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
4 v9 n; B S0 z7 Zhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
# P3 n- T9 Z' c# y* bthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
+ |7 \! H4 V/ h0 _) G7 `+ u' ZSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will + v" }' F% h3 d% k, S
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.; o* H" P1 k3 i1 H% _
6 b2 M+ k& A e% R6 F+ C4 x
* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
' ?8 P. k( z, @% l& vyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
' u' k( m$ C" _/ J2 |+ P6 ?0 cprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into # S$ z8 v) Z u/ L7 N) p5 F
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
4 w6 h4 P0 c5 v3 ~# K7 R% ~more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
- W. c- [+ [! C, N# }7 ~/ ibetter chance you have of securing the best deal.. g( F3 n0 p$ f9 L) A
4 o6 n7 a1 ?% K* o/ t, y* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 5 _7 G/ y, `, h- X8 g) s( n# a3 T) J
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
. ~, F# K) \) P, Xwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do ( P% V0 z. w* Z" m- `( b
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 0 s2 g6 |& X2 c( K* X( z
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed . v7 B9 g; V& u, }! c
buyers in during the bubble years.
1 X3 P4 R3 B1 @2 j0 n3 z
) q) i% }0 T% r6 e. l8 w* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it " g+ V/ r' D( @3 ` j6 @5 `! J
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you " X5 A% b/ m g, p; F& Y
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 6 q& [, i) m6 e/ g5 i: F# k( X8 N
he’ll close. |
|