 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 0 v9 b! J7 \) j- H4 x E
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the / d0 o7 Y4 S1 W* }) C6 J6 ]+ U' F
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 6 n0 p# G; r: S! d! q
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
. D7 d- B! l! A8 [* H9 l; F Bbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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' J; v' r( _5 E6 P4 E8 GSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if / |" i& l$ T9 _2 }% j8 g' n1 M6 J
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
: p* m0 {% V0 `9 T% @" R5 oand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)- d- Y9 h5 x8 q' b0 ^9 S
: U6 K" G+ v/ k& y; A9 x* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 4 h1 g. H4 i. [' q
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken # t. _# t- p; O5 w' R! ^
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
8 {# i8 b" |( f+ K7 Rget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.! Z( q5 [3 W) W2 x. P4 e; c
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
+ F7 |. o2 \- q$ Ythe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
/ K+ x( D4 c4 n2 Jcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
" X# u4 l; ^. ?having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is ) Y. w! X# |- }, q
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
/ A; F1 t2 h3 ^' H; o/ c/ ?order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
+ v h* H) }+ O1 qthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
4 x5 \+ J, K3 |2 [3 N+ pnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
4 {7 W% \, D0 ~: d$ I% zwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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9 Y: m! f9 H3 b# R# Z% t2 m" K" O* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
! \' o9 d6 Q/ [6 `. Z- ]$ pproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
& Y$ b- e! w7 [that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
* L1 i0 _# ~& T" v3 [5 L8 l2 k2 vprice.
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8 G* i. h" A+ |! }9 A- B. }* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
g! v6 @+ j8 U, Z) D( Obusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 3 v3 H/ d0 a" n4 z% E2 Z
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
5 N4 w) M+ }4 }8 |work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 0 q" H) m: Z" w) J/ g! Q4 Z
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
2 X4 @& d V/ f a! A$ lthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 8 P3 s7 U) c }- m
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will / r& T. J" G* z- U2 c& L
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 / ~$ C" G% A. z1 d0 Y' s
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
9 w2 \, Q) z0 j- M3 cprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into - \# _" ]7 L! k) X
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 8 d$ B& w7 K3 u; K8 ] t
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ! d Y- [% L, j) i
better chance you have of securing the best deal.2 W# E; j" B# G5 k' b( N/ T
9 M* |! f# g9 z* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing + @4 Z0 d6 f' e8 \& s
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That , Q( j+ }# J: @- ], o* P! {
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
! `" a, t9 [; Gto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
. R- ?* Y6 \ _8 a& {0 d. _6 Rconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
6 L, p* ^; u) {8 A# Sbuyers in during the bubble years.
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
* |* s+ e( `2 |- i7 t- Cdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
. }; ] S- n- O2 C) H5 C1 [will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
6 r2 H6 ]9 |! _) Ihe’ll close. |
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