 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
3 \! u9 A2 i6 p5 W( Qfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the " a3 V; T: t! t4 @0 x. Y% Q
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all , m m; [' C9 T+ f
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and / h3 x: r% g8 e" s( ?3 w
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.; s9 m/ y, {0 }( S
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if & j& ^' o4 e$ S1 W- s" x
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 0 l0 o# n' r4 v( r4 }: _/ a
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
6 b' N: s* b( S' _8 d6 J* B! wproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
) a6 E. v& [+ X Zseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
( W& t7 i" J: n) G N* n! @# q5 I$ Bget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with./ M% D) `7 d1 }, U0 O* \5 t8 i
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
" o1 G3 [! [" _4 S4 [# jthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
7 x+ g, c" b, d" u2 r: h, gcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 2 \5 h/ g0 o; _7 h! r+ O. s
having a powerful psychological impact.; x, k5 A0 ~& {8 X3 Q
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is : j: T" `. q% X. g% ^1 F! q, k
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
2 M% M8 U G8 border to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
* K2 _6 c: ?' `$ ^5 _; `' Qthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
! a& D9 S/ v5 D |0 s+ Z" Ynever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get . k, u; C4 J" ]$ i5 Q
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price." b/ J! a, } {$ n$ q
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
" ^5 ^1 U, J- R+ A: V4 l+ Yproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
' f* h# o# }$ u! fthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
: s0 I+ ?+ M h# ^price.# p( b/ K& ^! o `$ M
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
, S$ p r' F" e7 i7 ^$ Ybusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
/ a- y" U/ q$ D) v6 V( zexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of & d4 a, ~' N1 E6 A
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
; Q/ `6 g! \+ nhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of : }. w* F% \6 D- w/ |* ~
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
/ M! x+ N7 j+ `% U! eSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
/ {, E: x9 N. O; \" o7 i. adie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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& J3 u4 x9 g: A* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
U# k& R1 ~, c1 |) ^your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
' s% _8 v) z0 v7 }1 Z/ pprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
7 l% ~4 E3 Z, ^4 {- s5 A; _your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 3 H4 X$ |3 x4 d
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
9 j7 n2 |- `/ m. g5 t7 Lbetter chance you have of securing the best deal. F3 Z4 e% c9 k" |9 r4 q
2 i; L4 C% z( g+ i# A# x* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing ( }9 n( y* R# w! Z: U8 ^
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
6 ^: O& g8 L: {, N& n2 mwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
, v7 _2 u3 K2 ~3 z0 gto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
}' S6 E6 Z$ ]4 X. `- U, bconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ) C7 k9 G& ?. d1 a9 ^
buyers in during the bubble years.6 `5 s& Q5 q" `9 ~( @ v1 B
: u6 L. O; O% T* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ; Z% W: B+ ^& x
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you $ A" _9 c7 Q0 S% J N8 N* g
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
! p+ a p4 l5 I4 d/ f/ She’ll close. |
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