 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
8 j5 a! m. T4 h2 J) @& pfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the v- @* R3 m! x7 p+ F5 W
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
) M3 ^# P( C" c7 ?( u1 ?6 \2 `the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ' B0 t; x6 _7 k+ J! `* V% N7 i8 r
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.$ `: m9 z$ y2 V# Q" Q4 D# P
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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
# j0 d$ w$ [$ Z4 }you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 8 k# Q. k- b0 u* w7 v4 q% K$ t' W
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)/ C2 ]; t O& c4 v8 u
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ) p" Q7 i1 }' u: y
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
& u5 H {' d8 i, N) eseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you $ n9 V+ }7 n2 J2 O
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 0 a) H+ S; z, w+ t. h
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ( p6 E* d O6 [; d( _" S
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
8 \! C! ?; i: m# `/ l S* Nhaving a powerful psychological impact.0 T5 [2 y! ~5 D9 I0 C) g
; S9 Y" `: i( n7 \8 Z$ W8 _* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
' M8 E0 J0 s7 p l6 N: pcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) X" j2 J# c5 [% L3 g2 g- ~8 }
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
- p G: l5 n& t! |2 n7 Lthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you * A: Q! p; w1 y+ [* W2 q
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 1 \( o2 l. r$ k T
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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; a9 S; } g7 \; ?% V5 f* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
2 f& `, i( f9 o9 S9 ]property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 4 A" I7 h. W- `& _
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
0 R0 W, F' W4 }+ w/ E" eprice.
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. s& f- b! @, c& p* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
! G. U% [% {1 ^% ibusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s # L2 [# d# e6 x' ?" Y1 _
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of # d" R j3 M" K2 M: G5 `# I6 [2 T/ Z4 i
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 2 f3 s: }8 s) y2 J# i$ J* ?
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
/ t/ U9 b% S! k) Zthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. # p+ ?$ O0 u! I/ M! ^( W5 o" n: b
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
' D% q9 U h9 [/ f4 ?die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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# _: @" S. r) A+ U6 K7 G8 s4 v* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
3 i4 R2 H' A) ayour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the . Y" j% L+ s s, \8 |
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
) S1 |3 @: ^5 j- `0 ayour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The " ~) T2 t6 r3 A& U
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the & V, U8 W# S# @+ _4 }6 z( g) f
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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+ D9 w/ u5 }8 W( x; ~# c! R* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
+ z' [( F$ g1 \. m4 Pproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
1 X: ^, {- j& U, h( Iwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 3 S/ H. n3 ~! T6 O& u
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
8 M' `, U3 ]( Z4 f3 f( B( U, [consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
5 ~# z+ {& V/ ^# X7 \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 7 ?5 v" q2 B; ]
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
E4 n4 k8 C+ Y4 | U) P/ F {will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ! K; J% V& k8 Z) f0 f
he’ll close. |
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