 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 1 D4 b0 j. Y( W; b: d" ~2 T$ y
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the & H% E5 |6 `( _
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all & a6 d& d$ W" G2 |! ^, X
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
" Q- O2 x+ {7 v6 r3 Dbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
3 ^, y/ [9 l, g) [: ]! b3 F) Q% X
' M; u' o+ U& NSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if $ ^- ]- G7 r( K4 U, r
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
" G4 v6 C; K1 m0 \ P. ]+ j" m& Aand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)6 @1 |" Q5 I' W3 S0 ]
; p6 E" u* \7 @$ W5 c! X* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
$ s; B$ z% U2 X( q2 Wproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 3 I8 z$ D+ h$ Y9 W: T; E5 K3 P
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you , \8 ?" t0 J6 w$ G1 Y7 [. f5 e
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
5 c/ c9 w& M! }- w4 X: |% w9 t2 ~$ Z2 h' H+ Y1 m
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 9 `4 I' d+ p( N: S( J; P
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
" z0 r7 h: O/ c7 p4 [cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
5 H$ H* R* [7 B+ M! vhaving a powerful psychological impact.
9 F0 G# t+ Z' g4 l2 H# ?4 v
% C2 R# u1 Z0 A# N1 }$ c$ g* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
& @% I* y8 D1 X$ b0 n! b/ O, ocompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
. u& Z- @& ~7 norder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on + G; l8 b. k5 Z" _/ Y! E4 |6 b$ R
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you " J8 a; m. f' X8 x' n# F
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 6 i$ O& ^) s8 I. D' N
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
C* j3 w8 c8 S7 }9 m( A4 A5 U# d: P2 E; y' f
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
{2 j5 K2 A+ S. Q1 W. rproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 3 T0 x- g. |( m/ j0 Z* ~; K5 Z2 w# j
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
* o! ]1 A; X Y' n4 }" ?price.
2 R9 t; k9 `- i* D4 z+ q; t9 ^! d3 h$ a. X( O( b
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
' ?, I6 W% U6 K( [* Bbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
" I8 A0 C; \6 n1 |' Texpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of , y. m; T3 u# [: _( U$ p; f
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
% A- A: `' ~5 T, J9 dhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of * q( x$ J4 @7 e |6 Q0 k& {, P
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
T1 ^" _+ |( FSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
/ u% y1 w2 g( _, T* Udie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture. W4 p' Z( v/ w0 V: y
& E/ m$ G6 b! |* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
- P4 ?. }3 ^$ zyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ' q+ A; p0 F& W5 L: U J, }9 h
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ! g5 u2 S' r* n& h+ O4 y8 P
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
5 b* [! w6 M8 R- Z7 Dmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
2 U V# v, ^+ U, F1 w. Sbetter chance you have of securing the best deal./ B$ m# f' b& P+ A& r
$ E- Y# x' m! M j
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
. T$ k: r( r! J) Y% X. Tproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That : x [8 f7 I3 } X( {/ L
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
9 y: b. _" U5 \+ V8 Lto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
1 {4 n/ K( F! M4 t" \1 O6 d" F5 v" Dconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ; d! R+ L' l3 C1 {& W l5 Y0 P
buyers in during the bubble years.
" q. Y% z( s2 V! E+ Q& A4 r2 Z& ~# c4 g3 Y6 i8 ~$ Q
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
) i- R, ?, Y( a0 a; Y: t udie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
. G# K- d+ C- Y4 e5 uwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 2 O7 ]- ~3 X7 w8 J s0 r( P
he’ll close. |
|