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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a # Q4 T/ Q# J9 V O& @+ Y
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 3 Y0 c' U: V: Y* U: M6 v; ^
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
0 W7 t2 `6 ]8 ~' [! q% b9 G2 p5 kthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and + }& e7 ?: D2 f7 j8 E
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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9 U( f( O8 G; Y* `9 J* USo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if + k- a) p8 d, R: R4 F
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 7 a: q: X- c: u/ @' h5 U
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)4 G* r3 l+ h* m
7 v$ L+ I4 Q \9 h+ g* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
% R7 L- S# p& c9 R. h( ^& sproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ' k. K4 `0 N1 O: c j
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ! W g& Z3 V: j* }! Q. n
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with." _7 O. V q4 w: O+ X
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
$ D( V+ {! @4 Nthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
! d9 K7 |5 ], W% K) B$ M& O; Scashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
2 O+ G# f' ~9 ~5 O& l3 Ahaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
. {& t) G U% `' p& ~1 m* ^1 |completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
5 u; x3 |% }( N ^+ D* j" eorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
8 [7 n0 x2 f; [6 K9 X) [the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you " Z/ s* }& J9 B; I ?3 o" ~# @
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
( e8 }$ A1 j" q! e ~ s' B" Qwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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?9 S5 M8 v+ h- v3 U* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another - x% F# C1 p2 D% C1 Z- e
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 7 B1 {7 v- N, f9 g
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that , u8 S7 S d0 d
price.8 X0 {6 I+ K) ]* _& U) D4 l9 r
4 u( b K4 S2 c* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
% S4 e: X& ]& V1 n* {/ ^business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
' |7 y8 p' \. z# wexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
! @* P9 @. C8 O$ ?8 {: G* swork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
. q3 W, T! b' `0 Y% e& k {# Dhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 5 c& J+ f. l+ y5 n3 p. p. O! }
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
+ S$ |8 n- [& Q) ]8 q1 RSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will . [( B# D. T! C0 [7 T- D* ~4 C: `
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.; j# O4 E7 Y# Q5 j+ d
, A& {9 V- q+ k1 F5 _) P* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
+ [. \1 T8 B8 H5 h+ N% Lyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 7 j6 W9 | @2 ] O2 a- G- ?7 E
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 1 x7 r9 E @% p8 d6 y. a) y4 M
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 0 l; K9 ?4 T, L
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
% a. y' k* ]) X+ S9 vbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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8 `' F: R2 v; ^4 @* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; C( m9 ?# o7 W. @0 _- J: Q3 lproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That # {( Y+ V* ?. O: ` w$ _8 U
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
! C4 u2 ~. f# a {/ nto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
6 x$ M( x: r' \( o$ C# i' oconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
) a _4 B+ n2 E' Abuyers in during the bubble years.6 i. h' p* M; S- z( p# M! S! j
3 J9 T3 E6 {( X2 v* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
0 e% D$ `- H* ~5 J" {9 ?die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 5 A$ N5 ^7 g0 F/ k7 Y0 l+ k. P( J
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ; g$ n3 @( `# t" r/ ~( _8 v
he’ll close. |
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