 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
z7 N) I( L0 R$ c6 V- Kfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the + ]$ ?4 L, ?$ `$ @8 J9 C5 i! o1 h
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all : q2 x6 e. h! F# s
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 8 t& w0 c5 O$ b% _; V
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.; N9 J% _2 y J* o
5 Y- _6 m* H! @' ASo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if + D7 ^$ E$ c+ K% S+ E
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this $ z3 d& o2 g% e a7 X9 H4 V, I1 l u
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)% Y: f) P$ u0 r* d+ _
3 O* x) P, ]0 `9 o* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
# H# ]0 U/ }, i2 Mproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
/ U) F b: r- [: d; xseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ' R- A3 z8 }/ i; d
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
d( j8 P8 Z2 t" Q+ F+ ]the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not / v0 O. V# H- S' B0 Q
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
% v) s6 r; U3 `) M) m$ \! ehaving a powerful psychological impact.
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+ ^( P; g& E2 F7 U5 W* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ! S. S4 _) I: M. M7 h3 f. _& `, e% n
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 9 O% w$ m" b e1 \. o7 X8 j, f
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on $ r$ `7 @ [3 g3 N+ ^0 }
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
( [$ `% P* L m, |( F/ M- cnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
2 F: `$ \+ { Z5 z3 K! E9 {what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.* X$ c1 s( {5 |: L8 b) |; h- @
) h9 q6 q) p6 F- w* K4 E! [* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
5 ^. g" \' s" _! W! B: @' {2 Tproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
' g* F3 X. N' ?2 R! ?! I- L- Hthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that : ^; F% n: P: g# L/ ~6 n
price. N9 n1 j+ _- S5 G1 v, J
: O: d/ e4 _6 T% s* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
% ^) S* s/ } r5 U5 o1 d) T( O. U7 u& F3 sbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 6 L- G* J a4 a1 C `8 L
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ' p( H) b! Q% b3 ~0 V# _! `
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 0 Z* x+ f& c3 [ P8 ^' j
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
, Z, n8 \! I# T% @, ^) ^/ a5 Uthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 2 ~% n; f1 h' y& P3 x3 t
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will . V( G9 j8 b1 ^& Z! {( N. W* r" I8 h
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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7 Y* v+ v% v, @* q2 T* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 2 Z# r6 Y. C$ X' h2 Z$ j
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ) R2 S# _& n& b5 g* c( [* W5 x
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 3 E; ?, I# ?7 D
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The v; Q3 ?- z, Y" x8 w/ T1 Y6 {
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
& P2 Q$ M) I- {& o( ^, R5 Bbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.% h7 W7 B* Q/ W4 p* Q$ |1 J
9 f1 n9 w* \ G* h0 T* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
: m; x, \5 C7 x2 M1 ~( l% t/ s1 {properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That : h. [9 I, ~* j0 o3 B* f
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do % V/ E! W+ I: u; ~7 n
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
( n) e, p" d" w) l1 p; C" n& B! O0 Iconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ) _! s6 E. K, W: L5 K: m
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
* G4 |% R+ d+ n6 bdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you * g8 U( s4 z$ ], B2 M; t
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 1 O+ V; \. ~7 N3 F1 S `
he’ll close. |
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