 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 4 E/ l" v/ d, p9 T/ `- A6 O8 Z
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the # S5 y0 c, y g- D
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
4 b7 P1 D/ q% mthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and / H9 ~8 T s! e
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.+ n6 B% k% Q# d2 h# N
8 B+ h+ i/ e, ^8 H' USo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 9 x+ B! v; H; r* d, L N6 x- l" X+ r) k
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
|% \1 Q2 J @2 Tand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)! J. y% Q$ w& ~5 y. Y* T6 q
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 8 ]7 G7 s, @6 c$ s+ R3 V
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 7 y+ j& r& ]% L6 q/ Q L& |
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
9 G" c) [) y3 _$ o* v. c0 Aget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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- v5 p4 e# o1 \" p @0 f* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
1 @, T8 e' x% f8 R- K5 vthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
) W- r* n$ t+ o) h( g m4 acashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while * w: S. K5 d( ~6 I9 F
having a powerful psychological impact.8 \5 @" d$ X0 @$ O* N( h. T8 m
% G& [% a" V4 }5 I5 ~* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
( [5 P+ V" ?; E; h U! j9 B) @completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
- f! T, _' W& Eorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 4 g9 N. a) e L/ F& A
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
3 P" h# C/ M; `never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
+ p' }& r2 b) K9 P, Y3 o" X3 Uwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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3 }$ y9 Y3 m. }- @* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
& |# o) F& {& B2 Zproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know & v, L& B, t' Q
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
2 ]% Y0 K7 H' `, p& u8 [" Pprice.8 n2 {5 t) b. u# K, ~
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
- }* u6 f* ~4 }, u) m* cbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
: G2 B. ~9 v9 O: ]: K4 nexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ( t- D" f; g5 z( U
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
" A0 ^4 @9 N- A3 C0 Mhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ) ?% p" l5 \+ A8 X4 e0 B9 G+ L! f
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
6 P0 }6 I8 S: e* b7 w$ lSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ' u7 T6 \ J3 _5 C+ t; C/ @1 ]/ e
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have * R8 _ I. D$ P
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the # y1 h3 _9 T' k2 w2 Q# N6 a
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ; U. ^* M# X( |7 u
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
7 r, C$ l' j8 j! o! ^% ]6 S4 Umore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ; @( o) @' h9 ~' a6 C" T
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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5 I7 M: r6 L" r) }# Q* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
! N6 B- H v9 Bproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
2 m1 [3 m( z$ D. H, Q% qwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do ( R, H3 z8 ~7 i3 L* b' ~
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 4 [3 F6 [7 @8 s$ f' N% G
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
1 g$ q. M x" l3 ybuyers 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
- b& v- g% A( [8 \7 Ldie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 5 Y) a9 S- ?: ^+ j& |) m/ T, S
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but - I- h7 e. o3 y' k2 C/ @5 c. k
he’ll close. |
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