 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a ( s9 `% v( X. e- v6 k
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 5 ^9 B+ F( u/ ?- J1 g y
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all # ~7 d1 |& [$ ^& e
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and # y4 J0 `, B4 \* W, F8 x
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.' O! ^( b# I3 K" g2 s! }2 \. ~* n
) V3 M K+ m! D7 u. kSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if / ^$ L+ l* `8 O4 b. i$ E0 R, R" f
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
: d; p) r1 M& u3 Z5 a9 uand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
( z2 q2 M' R1 A1 n# q, O4 J7 w5 T
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many , A$ I2 B$ E! p1 w& N- }- g: R" s
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ) y7 q. V: l4 s/ R
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
! n0 h& S y i) u+ v" Qget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with./ c& m0 Y8 G L( }1 p5 t* l. v
" z, n0 I. {. Z- @
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
3 E, |* f! {+ Pthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not * R! a$ U, r' s! q" ?' z/ V
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
t/ E9 Y# R% Z9 mhaving a powerful psychological impact.
8 l; ~6 \ K7 F( C# J) W u5 @5 o7 e, r% Y4 P
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
* Q- P5 _+ K# H" n8 b5 I0 R, O3 y# Tcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 4 i [" v3 N) U% A
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
) p) `: X4 u# f4 P2 gthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ; l8 Z C ]) V
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
. U, Q! {( ?4 L3 T5 @what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price. {) \: m! l" Q/ c
/ u8 \5 A* x. s. K' {' f2 I- ?
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another + ]- r& b8 A* p" _- ]; Q2 K/ [' j0 p
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know O1 u6 R4 o" y
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
' C* W, @* s2 G* W( [price.: `' Q0 e2 w3 ]+ y5 Y: c7 f( y
3 z" z4 T( f. a( e/ A4 f" V
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
8 z4 F4 I& ~1 `business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
" O% h; r3 ^4 G- t6 Y1 Xexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of }& \% x& H, [4 `! {
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you - ]3 f8 Y1 e5 h
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
2 ?2 e) L7 [6 @) S* [4 S* Hthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 0 Q7 r2 I6 `4 l5 O' Z; W
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
5 y' m, X7 t7 ^0 Sdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.* W& i6 H7 N' ]) I
% _& V3 ]0 r: B1 J. r7 Y0 {& _
* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 3 F& W# R: M1 R& l$ K
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
$ P* }! x. v; v4 Q( g/ ~- ?( Uprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into # r; N: u' U6 _9 ]8 B7 M, I p* _
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
g* e. E1 z! j" [1 s3 |more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the . k- O( d* {: Z% X3 \
better chance you have of securing the best deal.5 P& B$ v p/ M' S9 c4 a$ V
& i& O2 E7 M% m5 W* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
# d* m! ?+ h3 b+ F, Zproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 5 I2 T3 u- V$ i" K' U+ e1 H$ O4 T
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 3 G: d" U1 @7 {# ~3 z
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just x$ J$ n4 s2 a b% O* D" ^% L
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
# s8 u2 W8 O3 _2 Qbuyers in during the bubble years.
+ d/ |' M. _; C! C4 X" a, u. M# w& c0 `
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
}/ p( p( A9 {6 ~% R- Cdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you % R) M' x% B, L q$ g% s3 V2 r: O
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
" g7 J' `; a% v: b" n7 `he’ll close. |
|