 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 3 j& p, \' p* B) S5 [! ]# \
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ! m& N- V- L( F, Z6 e- _, d
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
% p* i. y3 B7 n9 u5 p/ athe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
( N1 R" s7 B4 Pbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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3 b. n4 y& Q- e* GSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if : L5 t' G; b' n& t% I+ h8 w
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 6 k6 v1 {) x% L- J# B I' \. C0 Q! b
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)/ }' G6 a8 o; @" M/ M5 R7 |, h, F
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
* a% I" r0 H- }# N7 o K; x+ Y+ pproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
3 |5 Q5 ~% p% o' Q2 wseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
/ `$ a0 w, y' K% j' Z) _get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.- M9 O9 S% v3 Z$ ]0 |# p$ s
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
+ ?9 i5 M1 D- Othe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
+ R6 M& y5 E( b5 Gcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
! W3 h3 Z1 t' h7 q6 f( B _having a powerful psychological impact.& Y# {) J3 k% {
$ p2 e( i5 ^' f! j! k* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is + s T: ^+ }. S, a! X- A3 z9 h
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 1 H0 ?; t, S: O( j1 K9 H
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 9 g7 E; m- @7 }% f, d* y
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 7 T3 E" B) U; Q% N2 D4 k- o
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get % v# x: ^ D4 \; C8 }
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.- d1 n d: }: j* B" X3 q: h! a7 T' L
, ~ P# o) P& d' e9 r* D+ t9 w* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ' w& L0 | {" K& D
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
5 T8 u& k) |' Q: h. Ythat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ( l( s* l( d+ m- ?' n% x: q( ^
price.' g* P! h5 e. \, j* @
8 C4 v( w! X3 s( N* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 4 S7 n$ ?! s, {
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s , w) f' J! B$ t7 p$ v
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
% h! x' ~9 @1 p- T( y7 m. Owork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 0 o5 r+ Z0 m2 `* B4 R
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of " L) \6 V" d: N
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. . l2 h' Z) U) h8 y8 l# C9 U% C
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ) G( z; J) }( C9 ~! \2 t; ^7 z8 n
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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2 T: }$ W* Y8 P' E2 `* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 9 E0 [) w C9 p6 V4 h
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
8 \& `* i$ ` ~1 Nprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
1 ^9 D5 d+ A+ }- B2 `5 [7 Ayour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 7 S7 C5 T, p' k' h. ^
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the / i2 T% ~$ @8 A
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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& U. l3 M& V) r, n+ b( \* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing ) a' u% ^: |# F# W
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
- V$ N. a- g/ r2 f, G9 b' twill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
/ h w; Z d& ?! ]to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just % K* M/ `0 l" V) _7 u6 G3 o {
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
5 G0 i2 y* C; D: {buyers in during the bubble years.4 M. P |$ X8 _& D. X
8 g7 ~) Y5 @! m( a" O* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it / S7 ^; {5 h) L! t e( S) a/ ]
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you : O- d) n6 N3 N C" |2 n
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
# M* z2 S- N% k* {he’ll close. |
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