 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 |; @4 {+ K6 y! r
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
_) v7 h$ P$ n: Q; ybottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ) o" ?8 x: p% j) k3 L' P5 u2 v
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
6 S! a- g n- {% u: U fbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.6 o3 s/ N5 U# i# J
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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 6 o! L+ E; k2 N" G; p3 r
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
9 ]! K" V. ~! }' kand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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' u3 q" _$ s3 T% G* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many . Q5 W4 o; p8 s) @
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
- U) F2 N! V! ~( S/ z; Xseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
8 z2 [1 A7 E( I4 g* F: Wget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.) p! j& ^; {9 o; J/ L
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on o; |# S' y3 H3 K8 y; O
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not , [, c: e q, \! H
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 4 R6 Z+ S# \) U# R# k' C& U |: O
having a powerful psychological impact.
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3 n. O( c4 [% H5 ?0 E/ L* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 0 T: n4 T5 Q/ X8 ~
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in : Y/ @3 }& {& w! r
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 6 Z& s; E/ @9 K; Q8 n4 p8 M% N
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you ; U8 `2 f: B3 u% ], T' \7 K
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
' r9 Y/ q9 n+ Q& W) Nwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.% O) j5 G. a9 P, T2 _
" F* B1 `4 d! M# Y9 X9 f% l: q2 g* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 7 r& ^+ H0 Q5 @6 n
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
5 i3 H$ l# o* \% ?# ?that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
4 g, u& U( f+ O7 T! _+ @price.
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- E0 b; s! O1 `# O* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
$ D- {% @- B/ tbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s # N* Q* ^8 x) x8 C \1 Q
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 8 }9 A6 A9 J% X4 F, o) o7 I
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
0 ~6 Q. l( T% m) Thave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of , l5 ^4 @$ M* z/ h' e' W
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
4 O4 n- O& ?4 M5 L8 I5 g9 jSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 0 j0 l+ _ o+ B4 z3 v( W/ n8 w, C
die 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 2 |0 m X! G r9 Y
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 7 J$ z" d% o. M5 U
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ; ? L1 q& K. g5 U5 k/ o9 @4 C
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
D8 \" i% d5 }: G2 Xmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the * F8 B+ K7 c3 @+ g k6 N2 [
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
% d# K+ `5 v1 O& E' R* C1 eproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
5 Z1 I P8 o1 W0 X6 |! z% i3 Dwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
6 R$ r; u; Q0 Y4 Fto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
- l, n4 q; A; d+ dconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ) M/ M4 H8 J1 R* T& g* N: v
buyers in during the bubble years." P/ C q! b- \/ I& b+ F4 L2 _* u. _; i
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it + n) t O# W* T3 c9 Q
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you Z) ]! x6 \* E" t, W
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ; M2 {; F' M' {5 t
he’ll close. |
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