 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
8 G6 X% T8 [1 ?' lfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the # ?3 j7 X. A6 o7 o4 f; }, D
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
1 H7 B; {* A# O( U A; I! p* @3 Gthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
% T' s, x2 {* h9 p* g: Y: y wbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
4 V- P( L' y# t/ c' i- U2 ?' Z/ q2 M9 R- T* Q
So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 5 g+ f8 T9 h$ f3 Y! C3 s. ]1 L: @& j
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this # P, z, e1 z* v' Z3 d) _9 M
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)$ |4 u1 C7 ]- s' i- F ^0 ~+ r! z
1 B9 ]5 I, K$ ^7 R. K: z% o
* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ( q* G3 L4 P9 |# v' {( ^3 g) I
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
- \3 P1 i1 \3 ^/ F0 J" g1 [ p# {seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you B2 J( R( i$ O( V
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.1 z+ B( K% l) {6 Q6 D
' d v& l8 y- t+ T, V* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
|' S5 A: V; Z1 Sthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
$ e; z4 i$ G. r% h0 z4 Y9 lcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
, q! z+ q6 b9 j" C8 X! whaving a powerful psychological impact.
4 H. d6 p" u7 M; r% v+ X8 P+ N7 w" O [( ~) j, a7 m6 X
* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
9 ?6 V* [3 K+ ^9 G$ Ccompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in , I$ @% Q1 Q* i
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 2 l& K0 i% ^' c; E! w. i& {
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you / g5 A0 P4 o8 r& K/ o% ^+ v! X
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
$ g% q/ D1 O0 Y" B9 dwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
3 ` r0 j! @3 a* T- N0 y* x6 a* O4 e' C$ u
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
% J+ ~4 P9 z3 Y+ a1 u8 J% V& l$ E5 Cproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
! p" d4 C# L+ u. f7 G' |that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that & b& W. h7 a) F6 B$ C+ S
price.$ z! b$ h) R! B
! [$ ]/ c D" v# K* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five # h9 C2 T( _6 g& F, i0 z$ Q) J1 _
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ' ^& R" T/ [" F9 g, y/ g& c
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of $ S- Y2 T- D/ q8 W- J P) |
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
( V( g' y+ b- N+ ?. n( X2 Z* o/ yhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
5 Q* v# L" {. t4 f) G/ Lthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
% f/ f# U3 C& h& B5 p; \. pSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
Q7 N) n/ O( q& ldie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.+ j5 m0 o' I! Q
& n- y1 U; b/ y& l( q) a* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have , ^5 d6 g6 j) n& X' c; S" V8 g
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the % k, ~6 E+ t6 ]) k* S; k3 P
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
+ J. S; J a# l0 r, y5 ~- C+ T5 byour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
6 r$ ~9 A6 F% o% d9 @) t: r! u" xmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ) R5 F o( G* u# J- s# K
better chance you have of securing the best deal." }1 n( e" J2 e' J1 G
L# p3 x1 n! r2 u* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
8 `7 E1 b- n9 G! g6 x0 ?) qproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
# ~; ^* E% R9 b9 Bwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
: O) M+ L' Y$ \* ]0 jto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just . P6 w0 V4 @/ I: A
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
2 H6 J; M; ]+ o0 c: J& Y# Y; Rbuyers in during the bubble years.
7 u& U7 }: |* O4 C% E% \4 L0 _1 J* U4 D0 _. {8 `) @. S
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
' t2 j' s* D) `7 w4 [die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you - l2 {# h; Q: r
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but . E3 n" f) Z0 V( o: k4 y
he’ll close. |
|