 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 2 t& R- p5 Z- }, s2 s2 u: m; A
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
t7 j" j! h; ~/ l* Z8 Rbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all - V" }- U0 w- a- b. G) b/ Z( S
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 9 |! E% G W) {4 X( M
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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4 v$ x3 N* i E+ Z( _So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ) d" x( g/ h D% D3 b
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ! K& x7 D4 k; q; f! E
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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$ R5 D" }% W/ K* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
A' E$ L6 L9 n' m7 r" |( V% c4 uproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
, Q5 q# g3 q0 F; Yseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 0 z8 N1 ~' h6 v8 A) F% R) M
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.7 l* `8 c8 V- C: B2 Q) |
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
/ o0 Y) t1 c) \0 ]1 m4 Bthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ; A' E- ]- M! k7 M6 u Z! S' t
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ) `) T `0 o0 _6 \
having a powerful psychological impact.8 k2 q7 G# h6 P7 p' J. R
+ x8 B4 b9 R7 E8 s: D$ g- [+ _' ^* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is & {0 R3 M+ b/ I+ T5 D' C
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in - e8 y; E* {$ \' r3 q
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
' t6 `8 u8 S3 f. A" Dthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
0 d+ m# a% U% p( |' znever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
7 ^9 ]6 s8 ?% I) ^6 ~7 p! 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 / c! m" z: s2 v, ^' @0 c$ B
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ' I) j' g) l3 @- u
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
( K' z6 a; G+ H: Lprice.5 @( B' Z3 y+ o J0 Y
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
9 V7 {! o$ ]' l9 L& S% G: k1 z* rbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
$ E0 r$ X- X/ j/ t: @% |3 y+ b* Vexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
( T6 Q, i: f+ E' Y5 g$ Q- Fwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
3 o6 Z1 \+ F+ F# |$ E, E6 Yhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 6 L* Q9 z) F5 W" d' ?, c6 m
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
& g, q$ c- S$ a' pSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
/ L& V- F. C7 o6 [8 pdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.# @, p% [3 X& ~
3 G; U6 A) _! L* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
7 B1 |! x* n( M8 c. D" Lyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 1 w. C, ]; d F1 y
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ' B8 N+ M! l% e8 l- J
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 2 N7 r* R) |9 |5 \' ^! c
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the # w9 n5 |# K7 P" u8 H+ ]8 W0 O
better chance you have of securing the best deal.% b a$ R+ J. @2 [8 G
- h) V/ @& t" I* M$ s$ f* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
& f; f: s3 A1 a3 j) _* C, m$ Sproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That # M f) \' I8 @$ m- M2 m
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do $ [3 W j# M3 j! w
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ! @6 z5 {2 ^/ f! }
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
1 @. Q& o) @, B; rbuyers in during the bubble years.2 I+ V- `" L; j) B$ m
, f) u( d# W( j# S) P5 k2 ]+ h+ g. [* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it " m3 f6 R O8 f! m3 G
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 0 b* V K* j$ c( s5 o7 Y
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but : O' {* D1 C# `
he’ll close. |
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