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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a g5 v: o6 {5 c% F
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
6 o0 H$ ?; ?5 dbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all # p# I6 g) ]/ |1 y2 y2 _/ X
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and % Y B# C5 }# E- R2 _+ @
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.% Y: e" Z; w; P7 w- i
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
' B' @* E; D1 d! D8 m d% V4 P9 ?you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
9 a6 h& S Z/ e2 j' land stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
1 I( u! b' L/ tproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
( v* g4 p+ p% c% U% D. U7 \seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ) n6 _3 N, a' G9 @& p
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.7 U7 R) z4 m$ G$ K! e0 M
+ ?7 ]5 |6 m1 t3 i8 y" p, z* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 1 z; M X0 R, ] [ Q9 V
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not * G% ?0 g j7 |
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 7 F& `4 L" ]; q/ l' B" \
having a powerful psychological impact.
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% n0 \: m H# c% ^4 ~& p* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 E, q' L/ D& q3 a0 K4 _' q
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 4 n3 r$ t& [9 X0 P! m5 J C
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 9 H+ a* p; N9 G: O
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
+ Z' d* U, z- H" e( Y! h$ nnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
* ] f8 n0 N+ P) C) }9 V( jwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.4 H* u! `: |9 N
. N4 d4 q8 d- q/ L4 k' P5 x* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another # x* k9 I6 X' c8 G+ J
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ( z( c# |7 Z4 Z+ r; w3 y
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
# H# |" D* D9 S/ [" _! gprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
7 l9 T2 g. }- I! n3 ebusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ; T5 W! }. Q9 P5 A) o9 r
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
3 N, L8 W! M, R: _2 w2 Mwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
: t( @5 j# E1 z# Q9 t; Chave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of " Q) d8 r/ ?9 A, g" h
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
: R# k p5 A0 RSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will " B8 K1 Y h7 g. [( J
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.+ X$ Q' i8 S: M, S- Z2 ^: {
% e" c6 Q1 i$ D+ v }. b, B# l* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have ' W+ S1 @" |8 y
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
: J* P; G3 L0 l) v4 Fprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 1 F7 R. e6 q9 F* A3 h8 L
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 0 ]: U3 J5 d0 l+ k! Q( S: G
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 5 d7 B1 [ {* V3 C7 X* L
better chance you have of securing the best deal. e6 Z0 N$ M2 H& _
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
* T* M; b9 c5 k" @( y( }- z% \7 Uproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 9 U( Q% V# f5 u: \# H
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
3 b4 o) y& U' [9 Bto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 0 A* o, q0 a) c& f
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed / f2 W1 z) U6 B
buyers in during the bubble years.; I6 w# P) P% i9 v9 E( { Y( c
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 8 J( }0 ~ |& M- e4 k6 t. z! u
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
/ @# J# W6 j- C3 ]will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
! j2 f1 |+ [# R% W4 m6 Z; X! {he’ll close. |
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