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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 5 J0 {6 s5 P: _0 E
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
$ Y8 j1 P" f8 F6 C0 jbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all % k8 ^+ |/ |& C7 X- U" y
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
& \$ D2 p8 J/ {: j* s) i7 \3 `- Fbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part. }5 o6 d2 h- X4 I
: ]! v: k% d g* F/ M; b- sSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 7 P' ^; J. E- i7 r8 F5 M& V1 }8 q! Q
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
* G d/ D' h* D: q2 Fand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)8 T# K0 I9 L; I& b ?# h$ m% y! t
' v& j3 N! a+ i4 g. W6 |* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
+ s1 Y/ C3 V% sproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 8 ^# _! K: G w2 \2 e; X/ z
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
' b# j; Q! C8 c* g) d: N* r! \get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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; p0 g1 j% Y+ C! D1 B/ J* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
) s2 r! n1 C6 v0 Kthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 7 k0 B4 B# \( H5 S4 Y
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while & R1 @0 k! X% M' L, A' Z
having a powerful psychological impact.* Q" ?5 W2 l( T* _/ ] j V1 y) e
( @ d u2 m/ H+ ^6 b- |* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
- L, ^# A' b/ ?) y4 vcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 9 s" Q. @. q0 u) j
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
% ~, J Y2 b, O0 `6 Pthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
1 _. W& I- m$ s0 E n5 f1 K4 Knever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 9 \& x$ x9 l( x7 o: k2 g
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
4 r7 _) l% S% |0 [" Q/ a# rproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
; z$ H; d% J% _3 p+ w# _that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 3 O* @! J7 d1 P
price.
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! A+ H9 J6 O( }% i* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five % q: t* u3 r- {4 M# }: i
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 0 t2 K5 l1 j3 G: D/ e5 N
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
. B# D: L0 w- awork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
7 U3 W4 i" r' O# ~have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
; | {( H7 n% }: c) Ethe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
$ ~7 L; T, @$ P1 cSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will " [% g! V ~& Y, F+ H R
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 5 _( x- S$ `+ D3 b4 d
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
9 ?+ D2 q: N0 {3 k- x5 Y" Hprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
( K3 |( X3 R4 J j6 O7 Ayour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ; e! f: B1 k& L; }
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
a( g* B6 \" V7 s2 [. Z T$ ubetter chance you have of securing the best deal.) X' w$ L" Y- n* \3 \
2 }: b, U* H0 F. p" i' p8 t* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
4 _! Y+ B& t8 M9 U- hproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
- _$ r6 X# u# swill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 4 d" q$ _: L9 }' b6 M
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 7 y( G0 j/ K4 x5 D" o' ~
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
' U2 \" J" @/ ~) Jbuyers in during the bubble years.
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0 L7 l3 a, w( n3 C* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 8 J3 ~ d x1 @ `+ C2 V, f
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
2 A, f* N+ I# F: m* R3 L4 l# Swill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
& N9 J2 E+ Y# G/ U; A6 e2 N/ The’ll close. |
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