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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
% q& q5 v* V9 I A) Hfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the ) P) Z# c9 b& P# m9 s H4 j
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all - s% ]8 k( A4 C8 R3 Y5 m }, k3 j6 z
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 1 i# w! }5 r7 V& T
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if ; [% @) K) D' B1 v9 w
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
8 W3 ]/ f9 k9 `" I. r B: t/ Fand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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r% j; u, ~7 R% N3 I, ~* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
/ j9 F) O5 w, D" t$ ]! ]5 Tproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 0 e$ a' {4 ^8 Y B$ t
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
( [1 m* O) p' A; ]' R7 ~) n" gget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
7 p+ y7 K9 s1 f$ d$ D) R" M! pthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
6 G5 H4 z9 O! K9 Tcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while 8 x' j' Q. e7 p# E
having a powerful psychological impact.
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; c( e6 I# L* P" }* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
/ j8 c1 q6 X& e, p Xcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in + ~7 i: [7 I- n, }- q- E7 ^
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
0 d; V9 Q$ _* U" B% N. J5 @7 x: Ythe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you * T* H f: x, D$ o6 s! i/ @
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ~7 |# I6 }! J* }7 \- |* Q: \
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.2 a( `+ P; _8 F A
0 ?. C4 m) u1 X( b, {( U* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 3 F( v8 H4 q5 X& N: a5 o
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know ' [! E- O; g4 W" T( G" t' P1 ^# h
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that + M! W( C8 G1 r8 O9 D9 I
price./ \: G& P s6 k. h
4 Z8 }2 B+ H o% T/ _3 d. x. p* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
" o6 m, X* r9 H3 W3 k/ {" nbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
; t9 l: V6 p+ n. x8 b3 n# eexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of : {$ W% q( R$ e& ?, Y$ C, d
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you . o. n+ W; h3 ]) h( }" ^
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of - V2 C1 r4 M- Z# D8 J
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ( B- y$ }. r; h, [& W1 o
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
0 Z/ x5 ~! Z* f- gdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.) I }$ h6 F6 q9 v/ D2 Y
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
3 z& v8 N* F) F j- K6 r9 Iyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
9 Z2 R9 n6 x7 k0 Kprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
4 I" [5 I/ O1 O' W4 r* t2 `, c8 Oyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ; t. a1 m! I; ]/ z
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
* \& E. j1 ?+ c) R' |1 Kbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.9 a, a3 i9 ~( ?1 ?5 k
, z" X# I6 ]! ]7 _* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
& Z: w! I f' g) B2 K, V) |+ s7 u8 ]properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That " G; X: n _, e3 X" D
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
. u' E4 J* m& \: pto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
& \; y; o' ]/ k$ y) F0 |consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
+ b& y7 k, j u' h M6 ubuyers in during the bubble years.
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! {: u: A2 Z, w/ k5 r- p" i1 e2 M* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ) h; B& X: K3 a9 l T' }) h8 S
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
; F2 Q+ ^8 n5 c* B6 Z5 owill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
' p1 p# f: B* |- _# V6 {2 C! Xhe’ll close. |
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