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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
4 r. D. g3 @3 kfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
* X) X/ e0 F4 _bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
5 q* r7 u3 _3 b8 W0 d8 u# s' Hthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 6 k2 q& F' Y* f# o" e1 v
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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P1 k. W$ |6 ~- L" f; g! m3 ^So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
R \3 z- N. D% tyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 0 p! b8 D9 D0 k
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)4 _: u* I/ ~) V8 Z# ?; \
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
1 w6 { V5 f9 G) |' eproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken : z$ X; }' v' o
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
5 X4 x& N( j( N9 ?5 G4 U' lget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.( ^' q4 O+ |8 |+ Q
g4 C) \8 f, a0 y7 ~* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
Q* a! G B% D4 pthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
& @; `+ f0 @- `, A# \4 j M" lcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while & V8 z8 D: U2 _! C+ e
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
6 n3 t: i" b( q+ N# d( i! Ccompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
( @! V, V3 _. C+ R& l Yorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on ; ^4 M+ ~* C! a4 R+ i) c
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
& V d6 p4 \. h) E% Rnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
. Y1 v! G. p: [; R0 d0 Y swhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.: ~3 A7 }/ U6 L7 U0 [1 R* W
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
* t; K2 |, L6 m- V, T- K) S4 B) Uproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know + l3 b0 f1 D) P
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 8 |3 I' @5 `+ w0 V a4 H: L2 ~
price.! p' K5 G' |5 H/ A" L# r2 }
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ' D7 R" e8 s; ^, G9 m8 n# N: M, w
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s & w& k; L9 N" p3 c: n6 b( y
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of , S( z3 b/ ]+ j
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
- m6 A) h! N* f# D/ ~3 m5 i k( Ghave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
: B0 J, {: c0 |* A1 l: g5 vthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 9 F3 h' k E. V0 y1 Y
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
w+ Y/ K4 M. ?' Fdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.9 `6 h' A8 x/ W# I8 M1 ~
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
' T& w# p/ t8 }. H$ h/ f0 `) eyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ^2 q5 Z% f4 r8 {1 A6 v8 {
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into : X2 s1 U8 p9 l/ h- g
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ! c+ z) P0 d* c8 k/ y, ?. V
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
/ t2 O) b; w! A" `! y' f K, E7 qbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.8 u( K% Q9 D; p% ~8 b! O @7 y
: ]$ A8 r+ \7 } A1 I* M* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
- s$ O) b, b( [: c' Uproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
* W5 j% k# r+ Q% u5 l" Twill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
/ g8 c$ I1 L! E c7 }to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ' n# i( ^9 [1 L: V" L3 I5 i
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 5 W' ?$ U/ S8 G* r: L# \
buyers in during the bubble years.+ q6 N" {) k, p
; W( A0 Q- e( F* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 7 {+ Q! q6 {. w- x
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
# c0 h9 F9 `5 x* K7 M0 xwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 4 A3 N! Y/ T" T
he’ll close. |
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