 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 $ u' a+ L1 e1 n* b, b7 `) o/ I
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ' h+ o, A! K- F! y$ v' f8 Z
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all " v' d+ w6 f9 a
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and & K0 b* Q0 ~% O2 N0 Z5 z8 b" [
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.0 A9 M1 ^4 v9 {' L' c: ^# m
! k/ a% \! m: n m' G+ F0 BSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if $ d. I; v5 A. E1 s- W
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 4 q! y& |6 s4 r
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)+ }5 `$ U& a9 u6 E
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
# x: V( ~1 I) Jproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken - B$ J" ~) u5 h
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you # |+ H8 @* F" Q( w
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.6 h3 K+ X# J* _8 j) i
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on # ?0 ?: l. X0 w( G( Z
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
9 ~, K4 w( }7 o0 j; ?6 g* W Pcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
0 z# `8 ?7 h- A7 L; Phaving a powerful psychological impact.& A' Z$ c5 ~7 J# P7 X
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
/ j4 {0 P1 D& K3 a; Tcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
# _8 B. \5 [8 a; Border to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on % H5 S. P4 N3 E" X
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 8 M3 c2 {' \3 }' S" @5 O
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get / q# G2 }" F& }+ q$ x
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
5 A& j* ?2 m/ S ^" iproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
' N% d' v; @) w, o ]+ E7 E; ~that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 6 M: C7 H6 w" k- Q5 c+ w' D" s: i
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
; P b3 I2 h& @: bbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 8 F, C0 A' g5 z# E3 q
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 8 ]" h$ u, Z7 b0 n* Z
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
% m* B+ F: J6 T! L; uhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of - F- D1 c. Z6 c; B5 {9 w
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 0 U' G3 I; s# D1 `9 Y
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will - s7 p) v3 R& n6 d6 C! S
die 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 # T+ j- C" i. R! G
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
2 I& u; Z( d- ]9 r# i. {, `price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
( B; a. P, O& \4 m6 `$ z& wyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
! U4 ?- g, \( cmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the * q2 m5 |9 l6 N8 e2 q% Y/ @4 s
better 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
8 ] {2 R/ L# Z9 N: }3 Y5 V0 a8 jproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That / v1 r8 r9 y/ N: Z
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
6 k; {: R) L2 o" d( i( pto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
0 J, t6 L- g& U( A4 s* P6 z: Lconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 4 P* L) b+ G5 Y S; F+ z* o- ]: r
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
5 _6 @# Y- Y* o7 \5 p7 X5 }die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ' w5 h; a! U/ F# W8 q: e2 `( S* @$ u
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but . t2 Q& p" S3 s6 m& d# B
he’ll close. |
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