 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
, @: w* ]5 Z; k( S6 i& tfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
' V* r" k: _4 T0 Dbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all % C( j, z6 o m. A7 z" r
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
A6 f+ S/ n2 ?# }4 e) p+ z7 ybegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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! V' ]# i$ U4 x- d$ fSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 9 W2 s2 M6 | U0 n1 P, Y# ]- T
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ' w3 C! d1 _5 q. l8 m D: Q) o
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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# v) B* l6 X4 i, U- P2 Z& [! ?1 J* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
7 u: }; l8 u5 f- `, `properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 3 h3 r" Z' k, X( b9 J" a2 K& N% Y |9 @
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
4 }( c) t/ \ a) Cget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.! o& A" j/ \, L0 J3 \
) O+ d, W; s2 d0 J9 P z/ A* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ) R. g& _6 f- V5 `4 d
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not / n; }& Y. P% ^2 g- b# c' a X) B
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
( a; e/ X+ w, c4 Z, Ghaving a powerful psychological impact.
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' R3 U1 ` R* S2 o! N* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
9 B! f; }' @7 E7 d+ R3 [* S$ l: U- Icompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 2 T8 k5 C+ O |8 w
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
3 D1 \! q/ ~. {. R0 nthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 6 V" `% \/ T2 N, k9 i& I! L; [, g
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
) R* O" w d2 ~what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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( e8 N2 ?$ }1 O# Y* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
2 H1 z2 [" t8 [# d2 Y& Q ]# P4 |property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
5 ~! l- G+ S/ v- P& f7 O8 Nthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
6 | `/ `1 Y" {* a( k: ^price.# @! R z8 Z2 l8 D. a: n
# m E& X2 d* }6 U* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five }: [5 W; Y2 g t" Y, T
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
/ w% _% I( b! B& ^1 b ~+ r$ j' u( bexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of $ Q5 ~" t3 J; O0 M8 Z$ \
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you $ p% N1 o+ L4 Y5 C; A* U
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
8 G7 _# j$ I3 K# X. d2 t; s: Fthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 1 V: F+ f7 a V
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
/ x% v, s( `3 e7 t/ D% xdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.# `. q* J( h: @6 u) ?
: k+ `( R% F. P M2 G) W! a/ _* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
9 o& j/ P/ U6 Q3 l) A( Cyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 7 Z- P( w2 U; b8 }# z: y$ K5 R
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into & ?/ F+ Y) d$ _3 {( J! N, A6 [9 ]1 _
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The / ^: }. b$ e" T
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ! c9 f3 y6 `6 M3 T5 c3 _8 c, G: h0 {/ U
better chance you have of securing the best deal.( ^3 E; C E7 O% Z
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing & C/ @$ g* r3 r, y: e
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That % u! P+ v; _+ m8 c0 S. H
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
5 L- r# @/ v+ | _- sto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 4 x9 m& h% g) d1 d# }1 e. [& V
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 4 d) p5 U3 n9 Q6 @. v) K: ~
buyers in during the bubble years. Z `3 g3 I% c' s
, R, y) G. Z* C/ ^* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 6 b0 t- a4 I; T+ B
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
+ }* F8 h6 y* S- w3 s* u$ }will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
D1 S& p0 K5 D' Mhe’ll close. |
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