 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
9 x" G4 R6 @8 w& I* X% t! T9 Tfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the & t3 S. E1 x, P3 P/ r
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 6 e) D2 c! i! c7 E/ V6 Z
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 3 ~ a8 `/ c$ f6 W1 ?& g1 l' A
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
0 u+ G9 }* M- r1 M, W; m" L6 s0 ]9 W$ ~. X! U @5 g0 H% H
So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if + _! D( C" Y! Y3 _$ y) b
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
+ P) `- n) Y2 g/ G" Zand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)9 p6 w2 b0 D# ], w* k
/ c4 |5 t* i4 k! ~0 `( d* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many + A" e, q# v' ]1 Y& S5 ^
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
7 I& B( D4 b) {8 `% _" r8 Rseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ) O' x v! J+ |. r( S J$ D
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.# T W& k8 q$ R' R- ~0 d0 q
# s' F: D8 S4 G( Z3 P/ w* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 4 p6 l& S1 w% u" O: X) Y: a
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
6 X+ d. S q- xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while $ M& I/ M5 C4 [3 ~9 \
having a powerful psychological impact.
. Z( |, V# |- q" `1 U! _; M' c8 w# f( W5 i6 ]* P
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is + _( n6 F3 h) p( [5 \1 M% ]
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
1 J$ v' | G& @$ |. ^1 s( _order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
& i) B; M5 I. e0 h- gthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
! @, T6 h7 T$ x7 k4 vnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get - L e5 ?6 m6 ^
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.# s: a$ R+ ^. @2 q- f
& U0 R& b. ^ |* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another , _8 J! _; p% @; V0 G k
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
; M2 T1 v! u1 S: @, kthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
$ ]. E0 g+ q8 ^2 H, lprice.0 ~: M7 V" z$ _4 @8 u$ U
6 I% f' \5 x) ?& L4 F4 M4 X
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
# W7 }) |4 q- e7 d! ?: fbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
( L% c1 b. [; Mexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ; T% H9 x( F a$ C8 }$ O
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
1 ]! x3 H% g" V' }have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
7 g' V# T; U/ ] t' t- mthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
) u" b4 y9 i2 ^8 wSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ' _7 n$ F) @7 u8 g5 G2 ]" Z* o2 v1 p
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.& A5 N' C1 h6 _
5 s+ ^6 f6 E; Q, a4 N* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
! T" A+ e3 P' @8 s: E' R7 Q6 Tyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
, e- S2 A- n m {price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into " L* S0 z7 s/ a+ J
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
l2 i; w7 o* h- Q+ D" Wmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
% D: y; z$ E: l4 |# ^better chance you have of securing the best deal.; h: \4 {, _% _3 ], {
- I, G! R4 U7 ?4 \7 Q1 i
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
- g% y. l& }/ @5 K$ O# X- yproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
' ]5 \8 G6 l& r4 J/ C( bwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
8 h) q; W4 v {3 x! A/ V. Xto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
, Q' w* s* W2 `* R$ p( Mconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed % M8 v/ d- ]0 M& ]( x( b/ \2 \7 ^
buyers in during the bubble years.# P N5 j0 ]1 z' H. z
* I6 W7 V- ?) E6 h b
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it & O/ ~0 k* U$ t5 w6 \
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
( X; C* w( ^$ y( a% ]will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
& ?' n7 O" {% h6 D, x+ B0 V6 phe’ll close. |
|