 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 / p! E B% Q' |7 \# N- `
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
' w9 j$ Y! E' o( Y, p- Cbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all . s" f/ t" w( S: o
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 3 M5 ]; S8 j) D
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.* |5 s4 ~4 W6 c% g% p, {- g G, y. H
7 e& Z0 l( I6 eSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
/ @8 E3 [+ I6 e; t) eyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
0 G' D' x, P# c+ a& N! p4 n9 uand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.): G* c9 z! W1 J
0 l, O" F q% _' @1 \* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
) q" j0 n5 i6 a) w; qproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 6 P) @' `0 @# I8 c& i
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you - h M6 V4 b( }' Y- T) N% z/ B4 @
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
" ^5 `! F: a m6 F9 sthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
# R, {/ x9 _. Q7 g' Y' Y- r, ^cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
4 V9 R2 D! @$ y8 I* t8 {1 Khaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
( I1 k6 E* [: v7 J; zcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
& a. V! R& d. b$ W) ~% K' gorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
, w T6 z: c! Y# P/ L2 a* {the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
: K, q! t0 S7 Mnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
3 S3 Z4 e: U6 Cwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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4 r/ o7 O' ], h) d$ T" ]1 p* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 6 u# ?5 Z: q2 f
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know , _& i0 A5 Y" x
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
! K% P+ {2 l$ sprice.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 0 k% A- Q6 r% y' i3 t2 y+ @
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s * [5 O6 O% B8 v, k4 x3 W4 }
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ; r: o/ j" s. W1 m. o; s" F) W$ j
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you , K7 M0 R4 F5 x* ^) K
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 8 M2 \5 e3 I0 h" n/ [
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 1 o4 T' n# s. x1 ]; f" B+ x
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will . F$ m2 R' b0 z4 ]3 Q
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 e$ x% C( w- ]: g7 @4 [" C1 G
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ' @) Y, g& }# ?- R% }6 P
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
5 {; B+ y+ r8 t# g& [2 myour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
; n, T, T2 z7 ]3 q/ a! r3 Y5 `more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ' w0 T& E5 E5 y. {- R+ R& E6 k
better 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
2 j2 H, |" U3 z7 p3 j# w7 Cproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
2 s$ W' z+ V- {: ~, J# [+ G% p: |will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
% I4 ^4 t% b7 k& N+ \4 G xto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just : N5 X: c M$ `* | k( \& E/ y- Q
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 9 b3 ]2 z5 i/ g/ x. P
buyers in during the bubble years.
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/ M9 H* A" b- ~0 R- ?* {* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 3 {1 `0 d/ x9 B. l1 ` z( z
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
1 ?! U) R4 D4 X: w1 I0 bwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 1 y ^: |" J. r4 h3 v
he’ll close. |
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