 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
6 n. ?5 \ F9 W; Y5 R6 N$ Mfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
& g5 ~ T7 R+ G6 g! _: L( qbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
0 `: I' C, s- p" jthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ; R8 f, o$ y) g5 G* m, ^2 U
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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( X3 [2 ^$ ^3 T* q* [7 c0 [! dSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
' u! Z. g4 m, jyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
2 _5 F5 u- a2 ]7 q5 R* h8 c/ K( pand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)7 x4 J6 H) ?* B( v6 `
1 Q5 f, V6 }0 _3 x. ]. {* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
: i4 E$ b% R; Z7 zproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
! v. L" V; J& a1 ^( Y$ l. |seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
' J3 u" n! S6 E& Z4 h" n2 n `9 Gget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.- ^3 h/ P% A+ h
% C+ _% m6 j- b$ n1 H8 y* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
( g P0 P6 q3 I/ Rthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not - L$ q) Q1 g1 f; X) [% J/ A ]
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while & o" O9 o' ^8 B$ \0 c. G \9 w
having a powerful psychological impact.8 z$ o/ h( O! N7 [% K/ ?* W! c4 K
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 0 F( K: \% Y. `# A" x
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) E. M# H$ q& [ F" E+ e
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on % b2 G# r- F1 u
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 0 f4 S. ^' e% d2 J
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
" q* J2 B; u5 Y# s" S9 q1 `2 Wwhat 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
7 d5 @. k% M C) L* \# ?8 Xproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know # t# H7 v! ~! N$ U! N, i7 Q% _4 ^
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that % @$ Q0 ?: B# M7 s0 V+ }
price., U" }; c# W' V7 F
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
2 _! U: p2 N: M' H& `business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
( r1 }! [! l8 D- i! yexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ) Z6 O6 E9 f& j0 n8 V- z4 t* ]
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 1 W5 C6 f6 }' z' r
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of # `$ y& a( {: c9 p; b
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
, v' z' `7 L! v; KSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
% U3 K1 e9 K+ m' _: Kdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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( i4 L% p! W9 t9 w, f7 R* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have ' W; a: `' s+ ^9 C% `( M m: A
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
" J" d- D. T, f5 W5 [price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
M( T" M7 s; T/ {* r# Q! Z$ ^( Ayour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
( m5 b" X8 f7 [! r$ n5 s `more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
, u4 C" Q1 E1 h8 m/ |better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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r/ O2 v) L$ \* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing ; M, k D' o; G/ x9 r! I$ L
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
8 j2 h/ K# Y' w" h& M+ L! ~1 iwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do + a5 k j2 D0 C9 `
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
; S# W s5 r# S) T8 r Iconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
3 q* D2 w- ^, ebuyers 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
1 S0 F6 s+ D) t9 zdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ; f% S7 T' s: C# L$ |# H
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
, }7 k `. D/ U2 {1 vhe’ll close. |
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