 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
8 {3 Y( W7 Z* i# { ?" ffalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 8 C3 U, \2 X+ e( @) G
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
. w; E& n& P' E3 F+ q2 Vthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
9 \6 @+ f8 @8 q3 j7 W- lbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part., o: Y* @7 H0 y" d p1 w
8 P) R+ w, ]* X$ kSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 2 h: p4 A4 t9 N$ N V
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this . ` S5 u6 X8 k8 t" K* A; m
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)4 V% E6 }* I* ^, K [
" h3 D5 Q- }7 }) D7 `9 o; k* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
2 R3 C: d* c0 A. q7 f0 x) P1 q! @properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken / N; Z) N5 L8 ~( a- @: z! }4 x+ k5 U
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
4 ]1 \3 l; p2 J! oget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with. l7 D( Y* ^6 m3 B
( D3 U* X5 H$ b, ?- M* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on & ]+ l/ \, v- {! ^* _& h! \' \
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not + |9 K6 o, |" H1 [8 N4 u4 o2 r
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
2 {; C1 D) T3 e* m3 n: Lhaving a powerful psychological impact.4 B) c/ G& T8 G3 V
; v1 W8 A- B' p @3 T4 K* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
2 C4 `* S' M% n% ~( Ccompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
$ z! G( a8 Z8 U4 g# eorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
8 D3 i5 h" k, d' a3 Bthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
, q0 R) Y) r! L8 ^5 {% F, ?) `" pnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get " ]% R( c4 D5 |3 h, k2 Q
what 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 # Q4 t. p" N$ p5 [* k8 T
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
8 d) u) y. `2 X o; gthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
. y! b; A; {' jprice.
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( Y: T7 u- [7 Q+ D8 h- }7 e* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
. _- y: l3 m9 s8 r4 _business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
+ x0 a! a3 Q1 N1 p- _expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
( d1 }! L, z- v( x6 E3 f2 }work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
! q9 Q. z, \+ N/ h. c' zhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of # Z! h1 w) R% [
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! {( j) @/ L. b. T3 L
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
* b; e. @# [* N# X' `# r) xdie 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 . h R$ O6 Q) r4 a5 X7 M
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the $ @6 }6 k6 Y3 n: F, S
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into * @/ `4 N( ]+ \5 w$ }
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
; x0 E; L8 \# T+ ^" Lmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the # ~# Y8 l% F2 m" _
better chance you have of securing the best deal.8 g0 K+ H2 g6 V
1 \" z9 u% q X* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 0 L; u$ `7 E+ i% a
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
' S) f( j$ L( H' {4 Q a" @will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 1 Z% a- K5 \2 E
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
% { X, j- `$ econsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ' ^3 m3 r' w9 C M J- m$ a7 @
buyers in during the bubble years.6 z) s j- _5 W$ i" ]
2 h% l# o2 d' k; [5 {' c8 R2 l: W* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
# Q& d! E3 A" b2 ldie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ) k3 ?9 N7 L8 ]8 g$ z& U8 G$ p
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 6 v8 m8 f) `: k; h
he’ll close. |
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