 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
; v {# [/ a1 Z. ], d) c( qfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
, _ \$ Y9 [7 Rbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
- o: M# K) w1 a/ N- mthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 6 F: y5 E2 Z9 Q! p0 J1 [
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
* F, S5 C$ q- F9 C& R
$ r, r# q2 d }, DSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if I4 c. g6 t' P! N/ Q
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 5 H0 G4 f7 m7 n( f
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)7 l. ~1 v4 o. p9 t3 y! E# [
0 R" P- R* j" f2 d0 E' P6 x
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many # ` f! C) q% Y
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
6 j+ P' { n( |( R% ~3 @seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 0 @ r' ]$ V9 s6 u7 O t2 t/ l k
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.+ B% E: V L! l- P' n
- f7 i% s+ a% V
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
9 l; M! `) M8 [2 R5 l7 fthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
/ }" Q: R: \" U) Zcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while % S+ V! {# y# s6 f* u
having a powerful psychological impact.
8 U$ J; Q6 Z: q# m$ M
$ {1 x: P$ F; g* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
' H& K" d, a1 O' Z4 `) a# v0 Acompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in # a6 H! \1 C' g0 e& Y6 v+ p! l" R
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
8 ^: ?% K! o! ]the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you & {. T1 P6 {$ f3 }# Z! V' B
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get q3 d# L5 _# L' r* E
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.5 _4 a9 n" y1 M2 g3 k: ]; J
/ p/ ]( Z' k: D/ l. i
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another / g4 r4 B/ t7 d# Q/ x% J+ w
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ( S$ {2 W! a, [5 }
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ! n) v; q! {1 v- S, R& `9 B
price.2 d8 T. e& `$ H2 V
7 z& a3 x1 Z6 G" Y: w
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 4 h+ i9 @9 T ]% C
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s - M& O, Z# `$ K( |
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of " J2 s* U$ b, _6 m: i' D
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
. w- X! Y" r3 J J' mhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of % a6 Q' \5 E$ {) \, f$ k r
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 6 k0 X r H' k& s. n
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will # Y8 m( W) W9 `0 ~: w# W
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.0 e5 A: c* j7 a* y
& N8 s$ L: f0 l. s6 F* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
) V% b. p, V0 Nyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
2 l) _- d/ V# d. h a. f" xprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
4 t+ f( v3 S' ?your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The * T+ J( _+ B. t$ o& w6 L# k
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
" R* }1 G1 b7 Vbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.8 K5 R& E5 J0 @6 g2 C4 g; J
& ~ K5 V9 o" c9 X
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; y7 k: [' U1 x U$ {! [8 Vproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 8 q" `9 k) D+ L0 D0 j( \1 X, i: W# ~
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do & o* ~9 b3 G+ z) [& a; I
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 7 ?7 l- s9 o, E; o' t8 M* n3 ?- B
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 0 @9 i; ]1 Y& ?/ W+ n- z$ @# p2 d
buyers in during the bubble years.6 _( o0 f) D! P$ ~; @* g8 \6 Q
# v! X5 |, n$ @. C$ e- ~9 N* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
8 k& c1 T2 c8 qdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 3 h* s9 l2 c% C4 T
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
, S# Y1 d2 P( [7 |( w' Dhe’ll close. |
|