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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
- F$ g" y* i7 }9 dfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the - v) x7 C0 ?+ L
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
! W9 V* l. p1 y2 `3 sthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 5 d* ^! L! z( Y. o& b' n8 ?
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.5 l' t* Z$ g7 {' g7 b' x
7 {# n1 c" S/ D: I% J. {So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ( Y8 N2 W5 j& T! `: ]
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ) }) ?9 W/ t$ z& [( ^* I& l
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)! j& q* x6 j h& x0 K
7 V% Z# |9 V h& } S% }* @* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
% W- k" M" g) \properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 1 q/ g ~ O0 S/ Q0 f- m* Q2 U
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
$ B* I! `3 t8 h+ Rget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.3 \( ?: L0 b( x; Y1 Q1 u
2 T6 s1 X8 o- E9 u! I- X* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
! ~7 o6 B3 M- F# ^* H0 k uthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
$ O$ N2 L* W- _& r! m& B0 R: K- Scashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
2 x! Q+ b6 Y" Y# }having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ' S( p( ` _& p3 m3 I3 j! s
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
$ `; r( I4 s0 ^order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on + {. x* G3 M' B- d
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
5 N; l/ F' T0 q! U4 B7 b' ]never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ) k! S7 S- H6 u B/ a9 u9 q
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.5 e# _0 x7 f2 x v+ b }1 r& L% h
3 `' w' U, s) e- ~* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
! \2 E7 c+ c: R# u1 G) m# dproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
/ T2 t$ y9 s' ^that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 6 g, t. n; G3 }4 Y& j$ M# l
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
6 O" \, g5 j9 n+ T! n9 S' h. _6 Ubusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
5 J3 Z8 v: p7 A5 |: X/ ^! pexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 4 v7 Y& N. b3 E4 \0 i/ |
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
: q: V0 l. I3 V4 j+ a- a' \# Khave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 3 N7 o$ j4 N% O. l8 U5 N; ^& ]- D# W+ g
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. " m- j/ ]$ c0 A$ m6 E8 Q1 g2 j
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
# s5 i4 s T) Kdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.3 ^" o3 q5 Y$ C8 u9 r4 L! G% L
. U0 _" @3 Z# w9 R# P5 }' W8 S- ^( C* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
0 g7 n) k0 O ` ~: `' byour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the " h" n* ~" A; s+ o2 F! B% K
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
2 U9 `0 b9 ~! i' [ ?- z+ Y i4 kyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
: Q6 M1 E* L, z7 Amore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
5 i& |' _9 u$ B7 jbetter chance you have of securing the best deal. W) l/ Y4 a4 `8 e# L
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 1 v! D/ {- @" j/ z
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 1 Y9 i( M# d/ F Q8 X* n
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do # B% r/ x9 u" z; \& \, n
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just # b" m1 e" O+ n9 F$ l; |& \; b
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
4 n: B- B) m0 ^buyers in during the bubble years.6 P& R1 N: e/ I: T0 B% c
8 u: v* a- z: S% x. O# w* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
6 i1 A, A! U; ?4 V6 \die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you d" c x5 A1 D" W4 g0 R% Y' b
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
& f+ s! X$ D% P0 a" che’ll close. |
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