 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
. _- p3 q% O' Y4 s5 Z' \3 y# ffalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the . s# j1 X' O: l- F% F4 r* ~' j, I
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ' q8 n& [0 [/ m; O. J9 f C: C. N
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 8 `/ f# d0 y4 k" ?" p/ j. ]5 x
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.0 X4 y' H6 G1 y) I" N" W
) L8 _2 P" W9 l/ P f) A' gSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 2 Q! f' G! g S0 B0 j" K; O
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
: y, p$ i% j9 k$ [and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)0 S( j2 q; K* ~* X( q% J6 Z; \
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
" s( x. J( z1 @+ @! A( }properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ; ^' E6 q2 E( z" _& S" Y! F3 W7 i+ b
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
0 x) s. P! y1 v, _/ Fget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.7 ]2 n. j7 [; a( U3 v
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 2 G' L: n- ?- }% H: j
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not / j& g' c) P2 E% j/ N+ f! i u0 C3 C
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while : k3 k; }9 D C
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
* v% ~9 h8 [ z; ]/ Hcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in " s5 U: g2 ^; ~: s5 A
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on % s; o5 ]; \! k8 A1 Y
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you * m* d# |$ V6 t2 r2 n! M
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ) G4 I Z6 \# g- E* S- z5 \
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 . y, G3 e# k. K k2 f" m& V
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
( t; g: m9 n( g/ kthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
; s* u7 f e. o) iprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 8 u1 ~9 {) X, w7 }
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
' G1 B2 E; | j; P3 I% y# R' k7 i; lexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
) F, y9 u( @# v3 j& hwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 2 A s0 t- S' \. I1 @0 W2 F
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 7 G' l4 ~3 c s! Q
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. . E4 U* \5 o; r5 V( ~
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
1 D' U3 B8 e2 V. z; @/ _die 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 + j0 ?% j) S- G5 r" H/ F! u
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
P' \" x6 b- o% Z# Uprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ! ]+ Q3 q2 b6 \% y
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
1 [; L" d5 L9 Lmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 6 {( d, z! }9 m; {' M
better 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
- c0 x u. m. h( aproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
5 M, _8 `& Y/ V& vwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do $ @2 @- D+ {+ E& s
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just / Y# y* R# t" _2 q, t
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ; J$ m, d7 e& q, p6 p3 {+ J
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
" o3 i8 Z! L! }$ S. ~die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
4 h& e& {: `3 z% w: `8 E1 Mwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
4 X u9 e/ N) {! [8 d. ~he’ll close. |
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