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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
* T' |6 Y* r' Rfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 2 d9 a+ b* q4 ~4 q: ?5 T/ N7 s
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
9 E9 }- |8 ]1 V$ I6 P3 m* \the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
; P1 w! v S9 n* x0 L4 fbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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' L9 A, d- I8 b! A# U6 ?- tSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
) m, R+ q* G4 ?# {& F5 j4 W$ tyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this + Q* _" N: g: v: f! o4 z
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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. f2 p' x7 B' m) m* @ N7 l% z- W* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
. v7 ~& S4 V; ~! C6 fproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 6 S6 F6 S+ @, N# q! e& b6 z8 U; X
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
" c- B( E0 Z3 ?3 C. m9 Iget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.: Q7 ?& K' g/ O6 c( A( L2 T6 h
3 T7 U; o! D% `& [+ @5 t$ d* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
# ?1 z. s" z5 P+ f. ?the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
' p* F* }. m* R% ^) B4 v4 x. P+ N lcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
# ]) z" W; L& S8 k8 Qhaving a powerful psychological impact.3 Z9 k( }3 }" n& z. W7 Y7 P
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
6 g7 N% V$ x& mcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 2 j1 {4 D! c0 X9 v+ e2 ]7 e
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on ) z$ r% C& x) Q$ P
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you " x- v! i( M3 ]- r
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get |3 ~ {+ R$ T8 I r j1 O H
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.) t- g6 X$ C+ `
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another % l- s$ Q- }1 P& @0 ?8 X! s
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know & k0 \7 ]+ w1 q2 y
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
1 ]+ W- w) L: v& i- ?0 J2 {6 pprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
$ k7 B0 H+ E: j9 xbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s # a3 j B) x9 L$ ?0 N6 i. C
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
& K6 }# O: Z) k( ]$ x) L* M5 \work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
- z. K4 S$ d( Q5 E1 zhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
^$ x0 W) a6 j1 M, b: n* c( _* Kthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 8 |* E4 J' L: G
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ( e& ]! s" T7 k( n
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 * H& X1 T4 Z3 u( o& ]# g
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the * `7 T' l2 W1 o" c1 C+ i" r$ g: @
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
) F- W- i2 d" C1 O6 t$ |: ?* A( Myour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The + K* M3 Y& E* I" h4 F6 r; s
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
! O$ h/ ^5 X! [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
% A: E) ]( w# H+ U0 [properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That / m8 p6 y' h6 q4 q7 u5 J
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
, r* Q4 N1 j z" w1 c, Fto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 6 K: O; I8 Y( _/ h$ m( L# A; O
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
6 A( l y# X, j* Wbuyers in during the bubble years.6 X, ]2 g2 `- _8 v6 p- j p# E# a
+ l/ o& u" A' g* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
. p/ J% {# q7 i( |+ Xdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you . e1 A% ]' P! A# @, }
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 7 c1 X, s9 @& V( Y4 ]
he’ll close. |
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