 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
& N A7 s; i9 Y8 F; ]( bfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the , ]4 G4 F g, q, O2 G# O' i- j2 a
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all % y4 m' `$ F" u, P
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
& q9 i& R& U* Vbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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6 A0 a% n; f& w: v: [So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if / f3 _) A0 o( B
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
# h" R$ U1 m) Xand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)9 A1 A, {- [. u$ X9 a' l$ H( M
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many $ V8 D$ E+ n$ D3 t
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken _* K5 \+ E6 K k2 N* Y
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you $ M P' d' j% Q3 R: r: M' O
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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' f3 f4 x4 Q" g5 r' v/ C: d* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on b; F! \# R8 a _
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not : k/ B1 v8 a7 k& I
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
9 q2 ?, |% m# |3 ~1 ?having a powerful psychological impact.9 c( p$ h8 e' ]' H" w
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 3 @7 s! q# q( u) X( Q
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in ) O c' P6 V. L9 c R9 k7 ~
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on : x0 m* d" d* \$ j% \" h# ~( i8 |7 y
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 8 G* ^% x7 I- \. a/ z
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 6 n0 ^& _' _* o; F5 d
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
' C9 ], N! D; @8 `& Z% yproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
+ T2 Y% B1 z6 W( w( Rthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 9 O8 Q8 Q- |* R% ~5 v( Z; @4 y4 z
price.. a; i" G! w" G2 t2 ~ P
4 ?5 B" O0 ^/ m. M. O* p4 g5 j* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 4 b3 Z4 ?, N4 M2 W T9 v' y
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 2 H2 l* [! M/ e" T9 K; h
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
3 m. c2 |7 T" a8 Uwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 5 p1 m }* C+ m y
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 4 \& K; {1 \. x
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ( |" p. t, F' o8 V" f) J
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 0 ?2 J& q( V% u0 M C) A
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.9 L; O) L) `, P: \0 b* O
2 N3 {6 T5 S. K, e5 r2 ?; o* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
, n6 s% o% X# p0 ]; kyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
& m' M0 Q( X* R; F& t R8 N# tprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into : K- `+ \' k; o
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The - N6 W* u4 l' T1 n
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
# q: f& B1 C9 z- N5 l/ Bbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 7 l# S8 P8 d) ]: c8 w* q
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
6 s c* C \0 H; P" owill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
/ @5 y* { @& H& Y1 [& q6 H/ \# K, \to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
* N, V' |, z6 \ l2 ?, g4 {! N& ?consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
R4 u6 t) A. w4 ~/ G3 @7 G: Zbuyers 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 5 ?4 P* m6 p7 \5 N* D
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you Z+ f- i9 a* [8 T H$ m
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ) T4 u2 \2 p* u, N e# P& w% U
he’ll close. |
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