 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 & a; _2 C% I. A3 B* |4 X( I
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 7 g+ I2 \$ y" U' @ D
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
% D$ d# h) N0 tthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
( n: x7 M- t: wbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.! B$ D' ?1 Q. _4 r5 ^& e
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 8 \( j3 ?- P0 ?. r
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this , m4 ^/ }. d: w( I6 ^/ i5 o
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
% \+ M; H8 g, _$ oproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ( Z& }( ]7 Y F; k0 {7 U
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 9 _; J# k) Z" e' I1 U
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.* v8 D1 z; l' I2 c9 \" x9 @
# R/ Q* u' H {! j" i, b* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on , B2 H) K1 p8 X2 X
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
" |0 }" D( t3 R" t* U3 Ycashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
9 R' s- v c0 Q, l) k" G( @ Ehaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
" U# ~8 O( J x `. Bcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ' ~0 m" W2 m) f5 Z2 P/ h- v
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 6 m% F1 r+ |6 o) @% }2 O
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 6 ]. w2 X4 K" l) [/ m
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
) c/ r. }5 a8 T6 s% q; Owhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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4 ^! w t& h7 _# K9 u* V7 j* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ; M9 N$ e$ A7 p/ S
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know . m8 d& o% c) V
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 3 n& M! {0 I% b- P% u
price.+ w- F4 m$ f2 C; L( } K( M: }( a" [
+ h9 P* K; X! {6 j6 B' ~# @* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 4 X! A. a- N3 b" q9 u2 k8 K
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
, N% O3 |/ {% x, f7 wexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ) _. m, x5 j! e. {- n, U
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
0 p, ~8 ^9 U% `have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
/ I p' \; Q( P! {# E7 L1 T' ?* ^the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
$ `" I2 d- u- c7 f& W8 [* l) d9 mSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
9 @" ^" W; m0 Y0 ~die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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8 Q. J8 `' i! k; d* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have , S+ h* ?6 E/ v2 K0 ~( L% J/ W, U
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
! O l$ s! a$ m( {& Y' P- s0 _$ Rprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into & P+ w8 f7 {. D7 D5 w1 W
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ; M: y8 T! u% X. ~
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
' U8 y7 s) B6 ]; l" F: M& Ubetter chance you have of securing the best deal.6 V2 l6 {7 W6 i' H! w3 ^* ]
% C2 U% h0 w5 c) T% R) \9 A6 z9 X* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
! g1 V, T; ]4 Pproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
- p% x, S) W" k& S) |$ H; {; I4 Lwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
* H7 \6 g s! z# F3 x$ X( B! E/ G/ tto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 2 r6 x: r# R" y! f# m$ R
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ; ^( q" P9 J4 L
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
* N. y9 A" W" X/ A( ddie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 3 x7 g3 {: S. G7 Z, e! X
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ' {( ^& V5 V& p( Z: s
he’ll close. |
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