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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a Z. B, ?: z: N; @5 G% P
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
! p l2 o' v, B! L4 r+ {bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 5 ~0 }+ J! U% v& z3 e( Z* j
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
1 `& _) c7 @" U% Q# D3 d- kbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.1 @8 x9 ?2 T8 @+ n9 H$ v
/ V1 u5 Y! P9 W4 I) V2 z" d/ d$ _' ^So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ! K1 e2 H! ?! P' y
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 1 I( e* o4 `" f
and 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 z' c+ c/ f- ]8 ]" e
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
# A+ V: N9 v8 M" v5 H' a3 bseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
# j7 i; U1 f( Y5 n+ C" d+ sget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.. D! l/ T7 z- L+ h( z
0 g* F: A( A5 `9 N( d0 n* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ( }' S. q& B% |# E7 U& ? v6 E. v
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not & ^* P& X) P. K
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while % v) d1 k) L- x% S a! _% j
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
* Y+ s! K% s P$ g! z8 wcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 8 F+ [' M% s9 ^+ ^7 E0 ]
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
6 z) q8 a! b# f; p0 L4 l6 hthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you * B. m7 ]- o- [# {: n
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get . s7 u: ^9 k7 H3 J
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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- K, ?5 i e% n# Q$ t) k! _* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 2 `. T! J" G3 D; K+ R
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know $ [' W9 ]2 `9 Z8 c
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that # i( j5 f' A, m9 q3 H. b& Z' f+ ^
price.: p' |( U" g4 ^3 O7 S R
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
: Z7 l/ w) X& U: C" Ebusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s h) Z% V1 r) `+ }- f& b1 q8 W. c
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of . Q: B9 M3 O& ~9 \, l% T2 A6 w
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 0 W& X- N6 u e* e6 c0 `% R
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
% d" M1 f$ M4 v/ U" m- {* Athe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ; j! r Q0 H# o1 [4 D- F( t
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will , D/ P2 ~1 Q6 M+ {& j
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.( H; y$ V: Y8 q! J- ?
, q- p* c$ c' B& ]1 C- U* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have , D7 Y5 L8 Z: A! ^. L
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the . m9 r6 k# ]9 v5 b! J
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 5 c3 H+ F$ N: W% ?7 E$ b0 W0 i
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ! K2 `1 b! `$ f+ |+ w b! G
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 2 _6 Q, z) [) t+ ]" [' Q) j
better chance you have of securing the best deal.: D$ v( l. G c, K* l
8 ]8 E U2 B* o! h* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
0 D5 c* m" Z. H# o& m$ ^properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
5 f" y' X: d) S( fwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
9 X( y% N& U1 t: F: \! J: R1 `; i# yto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
1 I% J/ h6 w( B% m4 h+ R, E2 aconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
& Q" o. W, z% p" x/ E+ G0 K% ^buyers in during the bubble years.2 O% ]( O- U# P( z! a
& Q4 ]( o6 d; v# c' [# I* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
4 x# B' ^' w( z! vdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
+ e' q6 G+ g8 Y+ t( ~+ kwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ) x2 Y" g. r. R ? O
he’ll close. |
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