 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
; z- v; w, e( @0 jfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
& e. B9 }; @, I; j& p2 jbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
5 r* z: B& l& p$ ]8 ythe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and - F- L S5 Q5 L: a
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.1 X2 l3 p K1 Y' l9 _( _
1 c) E" P& E6 f( {1 ySo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 9 C7 q8 d, U9 [
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
7 K# ? U6 N9 o! ]and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)/ m$ Z8 r) L# q" U x8 ?' G
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many & J) m. i' A4 F' r5 y
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
- r8 ~3 ?' r1 V u5 P7 E* Sseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
% t e% Q2 t* `5 @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
1 H- q1 h' `& s: a: }+ W2 jthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
2 k8 _( t/ B+ G, ncashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while : M `" z; M2 N" s3 Y
having a powerful psychological impact.$ z4 a! _: D. Z8 |5 t! K; H
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is - ~- b, Q0 E" M% [3 L7 j+ a6 {+ t, L! M
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in . u3 M% c, y- p
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
' s( J# i; b0 l3 vthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 4 i3 i$ i z/ c: [7 s
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 8 \* f% r/ r& `
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.8 H* H& H2 W3 k8 \1 ~
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 6 B' e9 ^ w2 G$ J3 E# |
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know " T9 ?* Q3 s) }9 g5 P3 C6 z
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ) x2 ?" O5 ~4 Y# n1 I4 o% M
price.
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' h. Z# v& j7 a' O# S" Y I; D* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
6 [) T! s+ k3 [3 nbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
3 g$ W( ^4 ^& o: L$ t; rexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
) P) |- d0 B ^6 Hwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
/ ?$ k2 x* z7 \: E x; o' r8 nhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
$ V# Y+ p, j0 X3 {$ L0 P4 { pthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
& g! l) w; D, TSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
0 ?$ v0 W0 `2 d, q6 I) Q1 S Z$ gdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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1 R8 }; r, o. S4 g4 o" k5 [* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
8 ~0 ~# F6 Z7 p: m, N: pyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
: Z) j; \+ \0 M$ mprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into % |/ B# |7 L) Z
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 3 d$ y% Z9 v8 B) p2 H+ F
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ! ]' ~. S2 K/ ?3 W
better chance you have of securing the best deal./ K2 ], Q- i% z, q
/ B- D Y- [$ {: K k N1 \* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
$ X4 R: K6 R e @properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
K! r/ {2 i9 |0 k; Qwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do A, u* N8 D+ G, [9 ^! _; F+ D
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
4 I" F! @# p& Q; \1 r0 F9 w; zconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 2 @( T1 L: P% r8 `% g" u
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 p0 ~4 h( g B3 U/ Udie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you " \% X) k" {! t% C
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
% H5 E9 ~5 |- J' ]4 jhe’ll close. |
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