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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
+ r1 h" L' L! ?0 Ofalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 5 Q7 j% i) b- _1 O2 v- ~& u
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
1 r2 u& Y5 R8 s# `the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
: C1 ^% S& Y$ t2 J# K' B: q% k+ dbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.$ ^" ~9 H: D2 C: g
3 _1 T' g; {( `/ W: sSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
/ J( {5 a0 h. f1 W% c; O5 P0 wyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this x- m* W3 A% \2 d0 g6 s# W# B
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)9 j- C6 ?. E+ f' c+ {7 |& f! c
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
, D8 v7 M7 Z4 n% ~, L+ B! M$ Jproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 2 a# c7 a7 P6 o7 }; n1 T
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 3 o. Z( b+ Y+ i% v) f1 ]
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.' C2 ?& i' b# ~; W4 U5 ^' ]
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 9 [3 O+ q+ X% V( L8 U
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not * Q9 E# r3 o. ~/ s5 r6 c" J
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
% B$ c" U2 a" @+ ihaving a powerful psychological impact.* Q# o' E' I, z! X5 p
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
& g! E( A, ?8 }9 h" O7 jcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in / M& ~; f8 s& y# Q4 |; V C
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
9 {/ o, r5 T0 ithe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you . |9 J( R8 h# Z! @9 x. w' ]& k
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ) `9 Q+ S2 t6 V
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* p- m5 I1 R9 }( j' m5 f/ h* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
# R$ K0 P" f- H6 Z1 Aproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ' h$ J2 d8 H6 p( {
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 5 X! Y6 b) y; G& W5 w
price.7 }) D% Q: t: l6 a& t
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
7 ~7 ^7 O, a* y* }: n, Q/ I# A, tbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
) `; A/ b! G6 N+ Y$ a3 Kexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
" a" L+ c/ n, O1 B4 M H- Kwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
/ Z% T& D- b0 {5 k7 S1 D5 T( `have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
* V* m* h3 g" V1 N5 hthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. + ]$ R0 h' w7 x! W) }7 I# H
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
" Q* \7 T& T: h. Odie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
* U) H5 v2 ?1 X4 X" ryour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 9 ^/ Q/ ^* i; [" ~' {$ K ]
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
8 H4 Q0 `: Z& N# @% {& myour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
" ~- C$ G% G6 w4 Jmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
) G$ }4 ?, p3 e! P+ V, P" lbetter 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
& k/ x9 n8 n- @5 bproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
) E: e( T( c7 x8 owill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do - Y% @8 b' z3 L! s6 A& @, @" j3 H
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just ; I/ N1 f! S% |5 a9 u2 a7 @
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
1 P# X! G' l% q7 }; c3 ^* w& Ibuyers in during the bubble years.
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$ @) z/ \7 x0 B0 N# |( O, |3 y* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it % r0 X# C" N& m" R) i
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ) [; }6 J* a; C; [
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
1 c# \# f0 H0 Ihe’ll close. |
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