 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 5 R0 J# a( X" N. q, C2 n' n
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
. p% ]/ J# f& Zbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all / {$ p, h! X. y. ]$ n7 b" b
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 2 Q8 o8 l7 W: I0 e
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.8 a: p+ o/ ~6 e3 m, ~7 ^+ e' q5 m6 ]
% B2 Q8 p t4 s9 qSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ) a* `7 l+ p! T* p
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
( |# p" ^2 S9 O8 Y6 Kand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)$ i3 v3 P6 w/ J$ W V; P- Y
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
5 C' l4 |% H8 q7 e' vproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken $ m& a v( j5 T1 E" t4 m0 |8 I) m
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
6 V3 K, M. ~0 `get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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; ?2 O, {( G ?4 \4 @; o1 g _* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on # d- W* N# |- T
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 2 B) [3 w7 X6 @. E& G: C# N
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
: K0 a4 C `, qhaving a powerful psychological impact./ U+ T( t) H2 F* z- t
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
8 `' w3 v$ K8 Gcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
+ Y* N! B& B' {order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on . E& i: x; V( W" y& Q. @. G
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ) N% V0 `5 I, Y1 q \/ |
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get $ N5 M& k9 {) K5 W
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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2 M( q6 J* k/ V2 U* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 6 ~/ @3 B6 S4 ?' |! L5 L
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
( C' l [$ l2 N3 ythat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that + T2 Z* n; y& b. b D4 p
price.
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0 L, k/ u& @& U4 W* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
* K/ _% F% U" `( x; ~business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s * K. r0 J; a3 N2 L+ P
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of % x# o- B3 B; c0 p! T4 J2 n( l
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you + } o1 c" u+ \8 d' {
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
8 C# j" ]( V, n& sthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ) }1 E- M# b0 `
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
! I7 w( M- b% u6 udie 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
( p7 J0 H# z! F6 {5 ryour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
6 O$ U& l7 ^9 Cprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into , J; c) ?: b# E9 {
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ( D0 T& ]8 v5 A) |6 ?3 o: h4 k
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the % O9 G; Y+ `( t! r+ V
better chance you have of securing the best deal.1 l; F5 f$ L1 }. h8 U @1 `% ^$ r
3 a8 i3 O( S( u9 ^+ `" Q* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
& }( ~# V: Y7 t2 h E: aproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 2 V. }7 X. R' l
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
, D8 K7 o6 a ]5 qto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 3 g; k2 |8 k/ U6 N5 m7 G+ a
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed . D" N5 u8 v3 F3 s) g- R; \8 P$ d
buyers in during the bubble years.
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9 r- p& a. U9 _9 I* U2 a* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ' {% Y6 e8 [- u- U
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you + \2 v- N6 k2 c
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
5 p/ S" E/ H2 N* c' x7 J3 z6 k" Rhe’ll close. |
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