 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 / g1 h4 a% Y+ n! j4 V& K6 L5 n
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
8 f, ]( `5 V' l: L7 dbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
. ~; ]5 J; b/ ~: u6 v. xthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
$ x& U* T" w0 D. M' gbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.8 z6 u% f/ X1 s+ _8 n, h
: R7 j3 f9 ]" o/ E& E6 bSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if . a: N0 | J; ^# ]2 i9 k
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
8 i J) Q( ?+ Kand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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& i; R% U: X% C# ~+ B* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
. u3 `( z1 v$ q6 M9 Fproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ! g% d7 X) d' x4 L8 Q7 k9 a
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ( e3 v# j8 k9 ]
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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: e4 I# w8 a7 ]! b5 G; q* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
- f+ w* I" ~( T* F% {! }9 A1 Lthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 5 \/ v2 y" f2 i+ p% p
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while , `4 |" ?8 Y7 n
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 7 s7 u* a# D) `9 I
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) ~; Y6 Q. ~% ?! B V' z
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 1 ~& V2 o. g. n, s+ K$ q8 {3 a% m
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
K6 O& V) N4 n- Wnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get : G( l, O& x% {9 W- K4 `! }
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.8 @: v' k( d( Y
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 2 L* b* J1 Y0 ~6 e2 A' c+ [; \: |
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know # I6 M- ^' ]* q& z" Q
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
; V r/ s# x r. |! [6 o2 tprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
9 J3 Q A) J+ [business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 9 X l. z! U7 X! S
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ; C5 n: ?1 g' y- C
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
. a* k" K2 U2 j, xhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ; W. `: N, D5 E1 R; [0 v/ c
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
% i1 ^# ]5 y2 J) Z' u" c3 rSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
5 h P) y) A) Z) t$ s2 {% Qdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.& `- w: K+ j) f4 g9 H) D* `
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
. _" t) L/ o! Pyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
: X. W( J$ y2 l' Dprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 0 C" q: v L5 e2 D6 z4 t% r) T
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
$ m A! @6 F2 f! {more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the : [/ z0 O% R* C6 {
better chance you have of securing the best deal.& r+ W7 N7 v" N
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
: Y( D( G$ [) p, eproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That + |: t0 j# {' F/ h2 C- X
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
* Q j" N4 O! w: Ato save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ) k4 E( ~7 O- p7 G( ]
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 1 s! ~9 u, I3 y: a: A( r
buyers in during the bubble years.
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2 H0 S5 i# b9 d3 U) x6 h* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
$ A& m2 b! @; f3 M% D6 ydie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
, {: ?3 D8 g" w) o* C; F0 hwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but " W# f, `5 N4 V, v1 w
he’ll close. |
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