 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
) p2 A& m0 f6 \5 @falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the , y. z2 W& n- K% Y% B
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
2 B+ h) ?) q. c4 y- U6 _) wthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
' ^# P1 \6 N6 R6 wbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part./ X# A! M. _ o0 b2 W$ `
! s% c% L6 n- R9 b' W5 PSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 7 [ ~! U# ?5 m. C
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this # \( v7 W. n" b8 Y" P, R2 n1 u
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)$ t p. w3 Y" t, c
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
0 s$ A% ?% f# O* U) ?' \/ z2 Oproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
0 K' g! v2 L9 _8 o/ F0 oseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
, D& ~( @2 Q+ _, Q1 Bget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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+ @2 K3 ?: [; _1 s5 j+ f* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
0 v7 {) i# A3 H+ ~9 |/ C$ B8 q& ythe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 0 [( P% a6 _& |8 `* d1 `& _" [
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ; _+ I! n. x! e3 V$ r% c
having a powerful psychological impact.( ^4 k0 L2 L& m% b" B' B% `
6 q- w$ L$ }7 h9 D% G* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
" n. _( p. X( ]7 ]! \4 O0 |: Scompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ' w8 N' k1 l4 U
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on ) i S% A3 N7 ?! V0 F
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ) E* O2 G9 s$ h* n% k, e2 x
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ' J3 P4 z" {( U! T) d6 Z
what 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
$ S* b5 Q! ~: h9 x+ b4 |property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
I; Q& ~2 | U; t1 O/ B, rthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
. D, \9 g$ F: Q5 `4 c4 E& Mprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five % N b4 w3 ^( L# X$ r
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 7 H3 @. V& A o+ e5 m
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
" U x5 e. }& Nwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
0 f4 L. R3 [; p3 ?have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ; h% |9 e" P" k3 |0 Y$ i3 k
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
0 f! V7 J* _$ e3 ~( e( N6 xSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
7 b( T+ D. B( d8 fdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture./ r: C" Q) I. B: A3 L7 e
; A, ]" ^& v, g# [ N/ b* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
2 o- h+ n" w5 H9 @2 Lyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
( x2 Q# b) b* I R7 z: k8 g+ [& _price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
( |6 D$ A4 L$ uyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
( r5 ]! F m# G, V2 s( x/ i8 c fmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
L5 i6 @8 D, F2 ^better chance you have of securing the best deal.3 S; r4 A$ V# t9 L; t6 j
, H8 o( {; p+ V; D9 A o* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
, H* w: h% z/ w) R# Q7 yproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 0 o; w2 j( H% Z
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 1 h+ J" m* O4 b+ I1 C: _/ u, @
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
& _" T8 e# k) v" J1 Z; ^5 lconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
+ T' v# e7 b; t, f; k ` q3 Gbuyers in during the bubble years.5 B# G& ^8 D. n, O( N, U
" O1 {, w+ J: N" M! F$ z2 p* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
h" d, G/ X2 r0 Fdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
( _) T3 D: p1 a; q9 I4 gwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but - Z# m2 k1 A& G
he’ll close. |
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