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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a ) E5 Y Q7 O# Z l! [+ e
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the * G: `) Q, p* ~9 u% h8 O
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 9 Q# ] K) l1 k$ G
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ( j5 P. U. U8 m7 P4 E) M
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.7 w3 B* O7 f* M( {7 \ N: _
7 a) |1 D# D! f' }4 @9 BSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ' K+ c% k- t/ _
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ! V& I0 @& |0 M! j
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)1 j" Z M) z# i2 }* ~7 \$ x; I
# q C3 j6 q$ n* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
/ q$ y. M- x B8 c+ R& Qproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 0 U! C# }7 j/ Y) a+ Q
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ) w0 {% q0 U0 r8 R6 H% z: _
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with. t7 ]) I, P# J9 x y# g/ D
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 7 P; `! x5 G, D. C
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
& U$ h0 v8 {% Q8 Z+ mcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
% k7 T1 T- C3 h) W2 a; d% A- _4 y, v$ vhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ! g- I' x3 x: N7 I* ?
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in + G3 m% c4 ~5 X& a% A/ v' ]
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 0 a P& A3 `/ Z# ~4 ]- ^5 k
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you % a' y# B7 G; `+ Q; o
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
0 u1 h: |- [" a0 b* j8 Iwhat 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
9 _/ U- s. `0 e! `. N/ Oproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 5 f' b# x' \- m* ~; Z
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
0 Y- d7 q# B, \5 e2 y6 g$ Aprice.( M* ^) e0 d& d1 B
/ x7 \9 @. f7 w* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ; C1 p e6 f6 d
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
3 F3 @9 P7 `5 }1 n3 j4 Y1 ~# xexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 a& m% X6 E& h3 y
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
% N! m8 z7 a" ihave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 0 h, n; y7 ~9 G, z7 v* R
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. # W$ x: x& G s0 F1 y' l
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
! P, C0 v) D% P1 l- q1 ^; [die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture., c; c5 u& @5 b
: r( O1 d8 B# w/ A9 e) o* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
0 ]# @+ N& ]0 c5 p. tyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
7 j' Z( ]( g& ^4 k7 Y/ Q* rprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
" @0 r N% o. }8 B) ^ Zyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The . x1 F5 d3 a1 S4 g& ?1 k
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the * A, E+ j% h+ B# J2 R
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 / T/ N6 @) L+ T9 s! s. D' N
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ) i9 f- `1 `& c& l& Z( E
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 4 W$ `" ?5 N# Y8 Y. u
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
7 i. t! `0 G5 y% E3 E2 Hconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed + V, i* _, v- ]; ?" z' @3 s+ e
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* g1 T* \% f u3 {; l* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
+ B- V" i8 Q2 q+ E7 f2 Qdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
l5 i' v) ^/ d) \# Nwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ! f% r' }% C) s8 F' E, Y
he’ll close. |
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