 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a , }* v) f- D* _1 v' M
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the _; m5 L! T' s7 ?2 L" b m
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all - U7 @6 c1 E; _
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 7 Y* o( z9 ]5 C8 E1 P3 f! Y$ q! c
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
) W- _4 O' [6 ?8 W) G
$ K' U4 X5 g7 w$ KSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
! ^# q/ c. R7 M% w9 R# E# k) I2 W/ Kyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this % H- ~* n7 f1 K4 O7 T
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
8 a$ G4 S8 H; n8 \2 T$ W& {, b! s# A# i3 a
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ' L3 F# v9 v0 N+ q
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 5 L0 f9 t4 i. u
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you & x v8 X B. R! F9 ~
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.1 T- P7 S% G4 g. G% r
' v- a( ^# B1 w" F% U$ w7 i C* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 7 l: ?5 R* ~* u" [6 N7 O
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ; N$ Z1 [ ?. [3 \; Y& T1 P! O) ^
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
/ i2 s% _2 u& [having a powerful psychological impact.
* e) R3 z& k, r" j
% D0 u/ \# w2 U7 }# H* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
+ k( F `- a W; P4 T5 Kcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
7 I: Q* U2 T6 W7 Korder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
$ A* X9 l! O) B. O" zthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
% ^$ P* j9 U- _never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
- ?8 q& A) h7 s7 K! R5 g# N8 `# `8 Bwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.( e" r' M; N$ h5 o
6 B5 A, @' t" M
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another # l8 x. `, O3 Q% c
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ( w3 a$ \( i8 g7 z' y
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ( |0 }& p4 H2 e L8 b* l) c, e1 r
price.
6 i/ s* v$ S) E: h
( o G8 I- K/ E5 j: ]6 v* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 2 i; N; ~: @9 @7 X5 P
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s . F6 p3 X2 O' z, m
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
2 _- i) v; J1 o' }2 j3 M& twork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 7 v5 a' V Z. ~$ V H( x2 a) w
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
' {2 J, {$ }* Bthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
6 x. `9 f8 b7 S0 o' i$ Y& GSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 8 X; a% W4 O; b# O$ X3 E* [& Z
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.: X! n" w! N2 g' u/ D1 @7 k0 x
8 ]1 W; E2 C- g5 ]( C/ X* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have ) N5 P7 m( U5 Q
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
- T! q7 [4 z) Y7 Q! ^1 Qprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into - k: z, E: y! B v. V
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
: F6 T& w8 L6 B2 q; ]more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 1 ^6 p! f& F; p. a5 k
better chance you have of securing the best deal.# y' k6 e$ [, F P
: V9 Y$ i2 o& _* T1 Z- t) h6 L
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; c4 x$ _& V/ g9 g0 Oproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
0 j" K9 J$ x: `* ~3 {8 ~5 L' a- ewill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do * v* r; o: R( a9 `) `* ~
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
- P1 t5 L* E% a, q1 V8 Aconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 0 ?% |! O/ q3 Q4 V( ^6 k
buyers in during the bubble years.
' q* m3 q/ e0 b* i
2 V( F1 c4 H- \* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
) F2 a" X: m2 @, Odie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you . l+ L1 D( U* ^0 a' N* B* F6 U3 `
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
. y: Y# o) C5 Nhe’ll close. |
|