 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
- L' S3 Y5 K* [: jfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the " O- G# q/ o0 v; T
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
$ C3 A* M% Q9 \" W3 |" p9 r/ Sthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 7 d/ b3 h5 u1 Z1 l6 r1 \) r5 D
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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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 ' p v B( T' I$ I. w5 S
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
& Q. [/ f) K! r5 P# K8 eand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)6 R5 U/ `# p, M) O4 {5 w
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
" S, B( K: e8 kproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
" C. k: s) J4 U$ Vseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 7 P- _5 ?& D" e2 s* q
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.# C7 H+ h4 f/ P% ~+ I
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
( L+ @6 t; `7 |- C m' P: Y* c. vthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
* i, G! H" O* O4 J- z) Y1 V! K5 Fcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 3 g6 Z. p% R, L4 Z5 U
having a powerful psychological impact.2 i3 N6 A; u9 j' v# B z2 d7 W
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
- O* ^) z+ A" Z# [completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in $ N. C4 g, H& |6 P- i5 N
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
5 g4 E3 P* Q2 t" ^4 ethe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 7 k @9 W7 [ l5 I
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
: \) d R( v3 f( M$ cwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.$ O( j9 \: R1 |# u: v
8 n* \/ Z4 E i5 h* C5 p* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
4 V+ J1 o4 w+ h( ^1 W3 L b" C) ~property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know . }4 L/ F9 e4 u- _
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 0 \6 X' _3 \) N+ K9 M2 h/ Q
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ' m7 M4 U/ ~4 b8 \5 u: K. K
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s / P3 n7 w: U8 f! G- y& Q
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 8 @; C9 b' w; o5 Q; h# ]
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 9 F" `, Y0 b' X) [/ a, s$ v
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
- v# T# j$ }' W' b3 v1 k7 tthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
& V3 q8 H0 r- c8 U3 A+ [Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will * s) S) e4 S% T; N3 m' X2 m2 [
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.# m# e/ H2 L+ g$ i3 m$ `* u. e
6 |( z2 d7 c: p% I* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
1 g% f Z: H- E* iyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
; W+ p# S, u0 s! l+ ~2 tprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
- b/ M Q; U, Z; W8 V, C5 m3 Tyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The % w6 C( z( J; _# V6 n; T
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
/ h7 P8 f) I5 G9 {) Y4 I0 b" X. ybetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 4 |) Q8 [: S; `1 [: {" ?; n
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ; u# L( \& A6 Q( S1 d7 Z9 q6 s
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
5 E# k# z, ~0 Z: d0 u Sto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 0 L: ]' z' |* u2 U- l7 c
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
1 F. O- z% }8 ]/ Pbuyers in during the bubble years.9 c/ d" R* T$ g" L) |) ^0 S7 T% n
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
2 x+ Y7 ^$ C ?4 D/ i! kdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 7 B" R. X4 E P8 g# t
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 9 M: G/ ?; E- K
he’ll close. |
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