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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
3 z" I" b ?( Dfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the & ]7 {5 j7 V- @) x
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
$ L; O% R3 h# ~7 A: p ~/ [! kthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ' A1 ?0 z& ]( A
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.) `) E+ ?; W8 y1 [+ d
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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 . O2 _$ G# k3 ~" R& E
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 7 b+ s, e: \, X
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
# b; a( c8 ~: j C w1 `7 \properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken u/ c1 l+ r9 h7 m% q7 G- r
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you $ b) l( p- v$ w' q4 x6 q' N q
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 4 [7 l' I* I1 W% w8 B1 D
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
1 O1 G0 I. c; N$ y) B3 Xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
" z! [% G; ]/ B8 I# u, mhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
6 D' _! P n. b; j( J( Wcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ; R2 @/ Y4 x; }
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on / t8 h5 ~ q+ @4 q# q( a+ i
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
5 e, J* u7 [1 _( t8 `never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
5 m' D( y( f" F1 o7 m2 ~& O; n+ Pwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
6 d, C! w1 K3 ~' t v# `6 n- ]. ]3 Cproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
, J6 f$ y) M9 \! U; {( Pthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that , y. l* F3 k1 }% x( w6 m
price.$ s, _, r6 h% {% [$ F+ f3 B& s7 d
+ ~, e7 |! C# k% K( C4 j9 `) [* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five # _: S* b4 I7 w
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
4 c, u" S4 D1 }! K2 d6 w! ]7 Kexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ! ` z g! v. A, N1 L ]
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
' \% _; x- y8 d! _* U" Khave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
3 C7 n) }; v" A' kthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
: ]& I5 i! y) p# B5 B) @Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will * A& \4 {% ?( J( n3 z. R/ p! V
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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0 J, I& e! n7 [* \6 W* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have * J2 P9 _$ n8 u! d4 v
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
9 Z9 v4 A( z. o, P1 N& F8 G5 d7 w, z Qprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
- s' o& J& y; O# @your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
?! G8 |7 M$ f* amore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
7 o. L+ ^/ L' x( xbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.* s q2 W' M# d# @, E
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
- k7 H1 Z5 o! l: _5 xproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 5 C4 T: E: p6 Z, u( b1 j4 k
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do $ I' o% |) {7 B( T
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
5 ~- E7 l, s6 M) U% N* w& bconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
% m# Y: M% f6 G3 Q* U/ u; rbuyers in during the bubble years.
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; q& a+ `5 R5 J* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
8 U% U, {( J3 u, xdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
$ _, J9 y! I8 ~% e8 uwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
# [0 f3 y) e- zhe’ll close. |
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