 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
! T- o& Z4 [. Y4 I2 ]; C& M+ afalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the P0 I) n3 t; ^7 v6 F
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
0 w$ j4 `9 |% {the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and / \* @: Z+ _* I& S1 {
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.( r5 j2 x2 @5 }- N/ G# q
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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 " S2 J2 K) R; H4 s. U* c/ ]3 E1 T9 @
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
* c+ @7 H/ ?! u5 m8 m; Sand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)% p2 i% R3 u, j! [
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 7 U" V" Y2 p9 N9 T% |
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 5 c3 N5 }* R" ?( |. W$ l; c/ h6 r
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
" z9 Y# R5 k+ nget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.1 T: K8 T9 m& _, g& [
) c# t" u. ]1 g* N8 I* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ( G! @1 b5 b$ j$ s# j/ q- ^
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
) q h* @6 b O! xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 5 f; W! D0 } I8 w
having a powerful psychological impact.
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, o& s6 u) [6 a' q. G& s$ ] l3 }7 Y* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 2 L* b/ q6 T+ R/ s+ ~: c
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in , w0 X4 u t1 r% C
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
6 E& U. N; H& Q7 wthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you - Y5 A6 r1 l. r7 x6 x6 d
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get , k( ^9 m! I' Y
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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# \+ p) K8 G' s/ _5 M7 j0 P! Z& y- X* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
A1 i9 a: J4 b% ~property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know / P) M7 L: E, R% w9 j/ L
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 5 s& q! |- h0 E& q: T
price.
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' O5 ?9 C& Y& E8 ~% t c7 L$ X1 y* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 5 q; I) A% ~8 z8 ?
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s / o* g: E" u5 ?* }7 |8 D" |0 Q* D
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
* ]) e4 ~. w i$ M' g7 k+ owork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 1 u; ^7 ~0 L3 `! I0 ~) [; {
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 6 J; i l0 _' F0 S0 I& _+ l1 S$ r
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ! g5 l' k* G: Y: h1 q4 T* L
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ; D4 A3 A& }' P3 H, Z
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.: `* s6 L4 f) v% v! y5 ]4 l9 [
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 5 C6 L) q# @/ L7 y; @- e
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 4 x% m& r& ^+ u8 q
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
, y4 j1 n5 |2 [: C- t" G( G5 E! q$ Ayour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 7 R! t) H# A/ j' f& Q$ p/ {
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the & I, |7 M4 S5 {$ @' W2 r( x
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
! M7 f3 G/ O( u( @# ~2 Q% Fproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
$ m& S5 ~; S1 p! `! ^/ fwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
o& D7 z/ I& q" W+ j! U* _) n. `to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
0 f+ `& z) l0 y( E* N. _consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ! Z9 a3 v4 r# B5 u# P
buyers in during the bubble years.
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( M( F @1 y( V1 R# S8 J+ M* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 5 c& Y' ?; S9 w
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
4 ?6 }; ^9 s, H: Fwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ! U! ]+ T h/ _4 Q/ h0 \" u3 a
he’ll close. |
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