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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
4 H0 c% T' m; y" A" C7 _. qfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
9 o' ?8 k# l0 ~& }2 `bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
' M7 Y9 v y3 e( S/ x4 Nthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
" \' s% j1 q$ l; u) y; ^+ T* abegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.1 U: V1 [) h1 x3 Y+ q
7 Z3 c$ w+ S0 ~' j7 GSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
3 ~2 F' A# u# E& h9 c7 hyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 5 f* ]* |+ Y& Q3 K2 w, `1 e
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)0 i2 X5 f, C$ r0 b! @! q5 s0 P
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
. _1 C# o- b) Z, Fproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 4 ~/ B" C; v& d0 y8 f; c: t' L
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
4 {7 @6 C" |% g% `8 Wget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.5 U8 S" j) B5 ^) r/ t6 n% l6 `
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on + _" \1 `8 h# Y0 g- |
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
! x3 B8 d4 B' |4 ^" E* {cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 6 S; }1 P0 C F- E9 ^6 ?4 R
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is U8 Z6 E* b) l
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in & E, A/ K& K% a( ?1 ?7 J
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
( `: {. }! ~. x- athe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 3 {4 O% L0 w6 W& n/ o
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get , `* C5 c# B- e" C
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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7 W' ]0 S' G% Z8 l7 c* `, R* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
- y- c7 H- s( U0 ]2 Zproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
- D" J0 u! D, S2 O2 t3 `0 Zthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that / y/ D: v. V0 N4 u! Z: A9 A
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 9 ~" l7 B4 z4 n0 m) \3 J% P
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s / o6 C) M% B! a) v4 c' @1 N
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
! ^9 s1 {$ \# t+ `# y! s& Z0 U- O& Swork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you - l/ R0 o" Y/ Y; B b- I/ i
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
" z- c; h; U+ O' qthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
# A" r! Z; g% NSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will : S9 X; }* x8 P0 J
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.# {3 u. A; s0 g5 i! F# G
5 G/ W7 X- W; J& Q0 U* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have n. \7 K0 t R$ d3 e8 o
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the # X w' I& E2 m/ E- r
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into % O1 A& w, L* F3 t6 W6 t* U$ I! {
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 1 a8 R6 O0 j7 E, x
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 2 H6 z5 E% z" |% p5 P a
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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4 b }: `# d( j; A* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 7 [7 c4 D1 C% x" i. _. p- q; b4 [/ O
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 0 j4 [4 g; e0 @
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
1 T( Z- b! \+ x7 m2 E, O4 t! Jto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just & L2 Z j t2 K$ P! [- E' p; V- H
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 9 h( { _2 [ v4 Y
buyers in during the bubble years.
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0 P7 G( k/ B" z% K. q( b( O* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it & C* {: O3 r- o
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you i, ]7 C6 @7 Q8 w/ J# B# {
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but # c7 ]* [. ], C3 O, q
he’ll close. |
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