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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
2 _' z7 v/ Z7 }: ~" G' Ffalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the * f8 y$ ?5 F8 i5 D1 t1 |9 |
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all % K+ }2 }0 c! K4 X) F5 r& |0 T& {
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 4 n3 E( q- T7 O# }+ o; _& h
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.+ f0 z' B6 S# M7 o
( [# Z8 u( U' x% U- {+ V) |; {/ e ySo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if / t* a+ K, `( d1 v# k
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
. {9 Y$ U" J+ |2 |and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many % K" _" U* r2 ^5 g& G
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ' i: @4 ~9 v, M2 u6 f; r
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 7 T! X2 s+ }- v2 f$ N! M; N1 p
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
: {9 g2 H; p2 K3 u7 n4 d$ n; M, lthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
# j) w M0 D6 w$ |5 Dcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
7 U% g# S) E3 H4 bhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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& c; I2 \3 X; V8 n( o. r8 I* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
( K& `) n8 r- ^7 ?0 p. Acompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ' W3 m C9 i6 M7 Z- F: N4 o5 E
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 0 Q" H, M# h% @+ m
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you , ?# b" Q7 \+ m
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ; a+ G$ R' ^- S' Z+ y4 M
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.8 [" F5 c6 F+ ?7 ^1 C; n2 L
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
* x8 A+ g9 ]( x R& Q+ N" cproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
; I( l/ [# A7 G7 p othat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 0 ^1 K! a9 }) U% j3 d' ^8 ^
price.( ~6 g1 Y. P" Y
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
. }9 v( P, Z$ ~1 Q$ a! R* pbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s " ?4 A# a* w! j1 {5 F
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of * M; C4 R& p2 I' V- y2 K7 o
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you ; A7 y8 P, ]0 u" }
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
9 t" R" Z1 o. D8 p4 i- P& Athe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! m; T* H# a, N9 p
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 6 _% p- s! X; w2 S
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.6 c8 e* Y: v1 P% p J2 ?, N
2 \+ L8 |2 C. b; Q3 h* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 9 X U$ |* J6 J8 X9 I9 {
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the * z* V+ s9 a* @" b3 ^" D: ~
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
$ c; g, |9 c! h/ wyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
D2 M3 W; y Y g7 S5 Smore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
3 e9 G# S6 S$ Z$ kbetter 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
% E) Y$ [" d. T Q v" iproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That % E) g2 _5 R$ w
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 4 p" J A6 u! O( J, H/ N
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 9 e) V0 [: M1 I G7 G) Z4 X
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ' M* \) \9 L7 b* q3 K7 ?3 {
buyers in during the bubble years.
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
8 \: `0 G0 O9 ]0 F2 Z0 ldie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
9 c. ~; k. G6 M* J9 y* Swill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
" |; Q( S/ ?- A$ h/ I/ rhe’ll close. |
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