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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
$ \! I1 Z% l* L3 a/ Vfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
/ h7 J" G2 m3 X4 h. ebottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
3 d! @( q; t2 L5 U1 {8 m& s0 g/ ?the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and % h/ i; ^ D; s( ~+ @
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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) q: ]- `) [- K" P& zSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
/ T3 y# D4 h" N: L& N+ hyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
. V. x g8 G4 S* Jand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)+ [& }) L/ r# {" o
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many # y3 s1 N7 T8 w" m
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 8 b" r1 B q7 F a/ W, y
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you m( I0 }2 W3 ?& g/ h
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 1 @# x* Y0 |2 e' K1 l( O0 \
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 4 d) m0 p5 F) b1 _
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
" m* ~( N& H' V5 G9 R, r: M2 xhaving a powerful psychological impact.9 o I7 _" |7 k& e6 K3 }2 d7 C
3 [+ ~; K- W% v C) e% I4 l7 @* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is # G2 V [5 i2 ?) C7 v0 g. ]7 B
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
9 M2 @8 z8 I! [9 z- R% @4 torder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on & g' K$ l P" [9 H
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 9 e; M1 O6 Z/ d1 s+ J8 ]9 w1 {
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
* ^. ~% \% x; @what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.* T! Z/ D+ t6 K4 V( ~; J! r0 I( h3 F
4 ]7 `# r* U3 N m* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
1 o ~; k# U$ o( J' Fproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ( e; n; S- s# Z" {1 ~* }
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ( v! x3 s9 H7 B" J1 r$ \
price.2 [& N9 D% Z. ~3 @( u
$ N! F5 s) B! B- l* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 8 p: G, m. s; G" _) r
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
6 ?0 a1 N7 w2 `& Eexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
/ G8 x$ X- s5 I% `; q& M! G" iwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you + R$ T$ T! G( E
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ( f" [9 }4 i$ ]2 y8 H9 B4 m+ m: X
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
5 N, _( L4 S/ Y) [0 W5 USince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
R6 I3 k2 \9 J6 q5 S' e9 Rdie 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
7 \" R7 o# l1 K/ v, eyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 3 J! N5 R# w4 q3 s
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
- j+ A7 t+ f2 g" h( Hyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
* g% |$ }1 x6 ?6 i% xmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
+ J8 n* E% w$ l5 gbetter 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 4 ]- K" W4 u3 j; T* N; q) K, t3 a
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 1 n" n* j0 w! v7 Q9 ]$ Y
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do * \+ F7 R7 r; j5 @0 Z; }
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just : Y7 E/ [& E C9 V
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
) e& c# t% N. I# z6 a+ O! [9 Gbuyers in during the bubble years.# i5 K- Z1 E! }- b
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
) `. h& z. x7 U0 d/ I0 H8 W. Idie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
9 B1 Y' R: [6 `will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ; @6 h1 ~1 R+ x7 |# W* x3 `
he’ll close. |
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