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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 7 y" f5 }6 o6 ^- b4 l; T
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
6 N8 x8 _0 q% J( }7 |) lbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
( j. s2 o- N/ }( v; D2 H1 Ethe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
4 s: n0 Y/ |0 @" X7 z! hbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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4 N5 T" F" ]' a. M v. b6 [( ySo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
: Z$ t, @6 P v0 Nyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 3 ~, w) K1 E8 b; k% w( E
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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1 W; W( g- Q- j) @+ E& [* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 8 h; t* w+ X3 L" x/ v
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
/ |- o6 J0 I6 @9 n6 Wseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
& W6 b7 u8 m6 i% `" o9 f2 m4 L5 _get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.$ j2 _$ V7 h( ? e9 ]
3 X7 F: Z& I8 P, R* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
0 Z( |- J1 I8 |2 d* Z+ ]3 U0 bthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 7 w, `( }; c4 |% V3 X- D7 m+ b) w
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while " t) q6 U& g1 r
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
1 [! J( b+ ?- |9 h5 b Ucompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in , D5 ]. w# I6 a4 U1 F
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on + P! s9 D4 @! w" J x3 z
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
( Q% p+ ^8 ^* o I* O, g# Wnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get / R) M4 f8 o% k5 v; q6 ^* c: {
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.0 j4 v2 R! a1 G3 l4 x' b- N" M% E
: k- H8 P: F5 [' \1 d0 d0 @, Y( U1 C* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
4 g5 s/ b8 o! |) K" r+ c; I8 J |5 Eproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
# L2 M* ~) d1 ^# k4 ~) Lthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
5 I4 C; V4 w7 g4 X% B G$ wprice.1 B' _, {. I7 z& y! a' K# _, e
) ^5 L# x5 ~4 ]9 S* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
! J. z' h, p+ I- C& O% d9 bbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
' f; M9 X- \# r9 V/ Mexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ' Q, f( p$ b% h) U9 B
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you ' k; [4 s+ N' Z3 P
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
5 L1 x( [0 k1 `# P2 i' a5 Jthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
- L# V( G1 h a0 aSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will : ?) m9 _0 s( c0 M: t5 I' B
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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3 O0 E+ w: X0 @! u4 m* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
/ f$ X& N! c% a- F" ]* k" F2 Oyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
3 i2 v2 p% f$ k% t, U& [6 @+ ~price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
! \1 i) n7 N% qyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The . E7 R G* E. \2 T; ^# L* p
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
. }9 q) g2 V6 C8 T/ [( a4 Bbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.' c: \2 b) k6 a) D
" ?, D- Y; D/ F; g* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing . [9 A8 W* f0 _3 y; A$ S
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
( e. v5 h: f+ P; @; |/ Qwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 8 x2 T$ Y; s5 N( _
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
" l f2 n8 r9 t. y6 T/ z% ^consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ; R9 D2 J' {( t4 W$ q8 O, {& N1 |
buyers in during the bubble years.
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3 u: [( @9 m- p$ H' C5 @! c* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
7 z! N7 B7 I3 F5 o! L9 Tdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 5 L, g# [4 i2 N) r5 w7 q4 j3 V$ T
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ( y$ W" K: o' p+ M, H; m, c
he’ll close. |
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