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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a $ T0 X0 y& e" J. _+ K) s( r- {
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ! J9 b* {. N' _8 C3 @1 _
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all - {3 [; { A0 n/ D: l+ ]( ?3 J0 @8 X
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and & l& l3 U' y! L9 X# X3 k
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.8 j- Y% M2 I+ y
2 ?6 I0 V1 I4 B1 {& N% W0 ~& nSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
2 C/ n7 J0 O0 W7 q/ zyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this . s( {( T, a7 v
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)* `* o3 y5 s/ h& u
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ; e% _* o/ @1 k; v- \
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ; e/ h, E9 M- `+ |7 W- d! Q
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
- X, Q$ A% J. K9 R3 G* s# Bget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.# e; q0 Z" X) i6 `' V4 G5 [' G; C
# h! z2 t$ |. P8 q$ {* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
1 z7 C' s0 ~! T C5 X9 t) ?the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
; K4 H$ c8 G( A4 H+ Y4 xcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
" x- [9 ^4 \, }having a powerful psychological impact.
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- c+ G: K& D6 P; G0 h4 m1 ?* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 4 q: r `5 b: |* I: r( S ^
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
% Y. l$ p- U( forder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on ; x+ w2 q7 z- q4 j& I& u# ~! w
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
- _6 r& x- l1 Z$ R: h! G/ [never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
| d `3 T! A8 q- A9 v! }- Y1 dwhat 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 1 @: L' J; y' o0 ]; y* l
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 1 M' }! w3 _7 W6 z m4 f' X
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that / ^; P" ~* C: `( h. s/ j) V
price./ ~" t6 O$ @- c5 E+ I! |! C
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
% `9 G, K6 S9 p3 ^business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
) o0 I O7 o9 v2 h$ fexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 }/ w- Y5 O+ R, {% X
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
8 t$ _# V6 G2 T& o- Fhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of . p4 [# \8 |' [
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. * S$ U y {: z7 n" L! \' i8 N- |0 U
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will # b, \1 f( W* d- Q" n
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.$ j4 r0 n: l9 }% P$ E
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 3 c6 L1 s4 P) A1 {$ L% e
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
2 U$ @ n- H+ W$ u( V. Eprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 2 i" S# V! }' h8 M
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
4 T$ f7 b2 x4 D% p+ ~more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
Q0 s: V: Q! L, V: c3 obetter 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
4 ~/ ~' P" D @7 t& T/ nproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
. Q5 U; l- F6 T0 T7 Uwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 2 N _( J% W) r/ ]6 j+ S! b
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
/ C3 ?% o3 e: `6 x' nconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed / k% n; U+ i5 W- u0 D. z
buyers in during the bubble years.
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. ?. U9 L4 V9 W% ?( y* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
7 L) D4 X* `- f; u6 _9 \die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
: i V: ?- Z: L5 d# hwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but # c8 l3 C! O# T
he’ll close. |
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