 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
& _8 ~9 O6 n' r+ v2 G# Ufalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
) q9 Q3 N- {$ U0 ]. zbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
+ ]1 w9 R: E" W2 b$ B% }/ g4 ^the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
# N* O% `" M# a; [begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.3 ]8 C* s; N, ^4 S# J2 o
0 }0 C; j0 v9 ~/ ^+ z: ESo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if : d2 i& X# a6 b
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
* ]- E* E# T% W; {, ~and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)' X/ i) y, R" u; |
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
* S8 G1 H; i8 hproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
. E) m4 h3 c- q) |( ]$ _ E# Lseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you : ?* W: t8 }% n
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.& W) @# }+ {& O! B" T& X) Y, {0 E. G
, Z3 O) P; Z3 V6 Y9 i* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
4 e% M; k0 e# a" S$ F0 G$ Cthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
8 |) W! x4 Y2 W1 mcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while $ h2 x9 c ^* R; r( B
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* ^- z1 e% Y# w8 o9 k* A* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 S$ v0 Z# a4 g7 h
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
) L' b4 `4 v, R% o. n" A' J I2 P# vorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 7 U, u6 H- e9 g7 y% L& M% `
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you % j( q3 C7 n9 t1 j3 S9 Q* _
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get " u( y% l6 M: y& ^7 Y
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price./ u; ?+ \8 W- x# M: c
4 K U5 C6 {7 a+ q' S; T3 ?! |0 r9 _* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ; \& b. Q- V1 P- Q, H, k1 u& K% p
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know / t$ U# S3 ?- ]
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 7 Y, G6 t- _' J) o: E
price.& |2 j/ C# a/ F! Q; Q( \, l; I. V
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five - [% W9 l6 ^; o: U, l: {
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ' r" y6 G# O( L* A- m! a$ H9 d
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of / S5 t; U' t: B/ u5 r2 i
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 6 Z" @' k6 }$ R5 V \- \
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
6 d+ i- l3 o- s! Y! Wthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 9 J) C+ ]4 O! u( n9 R
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will . O% w4 C0 u2 C2 ?5 E; ~* U
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture." ~2 l% A/ ]; S4 D7 [
- e4 W! f. ^9 l. l. Q! m8 d* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
6 p1 t' ^$ Q& {0 r' x- G' j9 dyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
( d4 d' ?4 I) @2 v0 _* e0 rprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
9 Q( r3 _+ [; D2 S% |your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ) v" c) A: n3 H' b9 g5 n9 L
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
" g: O3 K" M; R' Vbetter 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 5 S! r: I3 s y, {7 ` p5 z) i
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 8 u5 h% j6 t, B
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
8 l% W* V( L$ I4 X# a# d% J Uto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just # g n" r6 n$ g& f" G8 V9 Y
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 1 `1 N/ X3 p E# j: l( G2 |3 P' ?
buyers in during the bubble years.8 `) Q4 r/ I- g9 q
. _( s! p! S0 C0 d! o; N* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it - ], c' n9 n# X% d2 q9 U. K: _
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
. V) G, E, v: L( e8 X- j8 jwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but . b- R; O( M# ?* M1 K% I
he’ll close. |
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