 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
t& c) i, v- V8 Y& c- L( j6 Vfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 4 P/ D/ ~3 O1 n
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 8 q3 R3 D ~: W4 m) U8 {
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
/ }' x, [) \: E! j9 N! Jbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.$ i) {# T! t2 t b( B4 Q/ {: r. Z
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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 ' i" U, o+ Q" N$ b- T2 S: L
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
9 J5 ?3 d/ \: E5 Pand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)1 z: x/ C3 W! w3 q! F
; X: g5 W0 d4 U4 Q# W! _# m* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
" p" F5 B5 u! pproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
* }3 {* Q, K! h+ a. T: Kseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you \# Z$ y& \/ e2 O
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.! |# A3 c. m3 E
) w5 `3 f5 Y" _) }' {* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
2 {+ c2 N- W7 \5 `the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
3 A* `9 t; u! j/ d8 L1 E* ~cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
- I; X7 C( H8 \+ g' y+ G7 @having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is , W2 E; {* `7 s; O2 K4 E
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
+ o9 @7 S; ^$ V1 Gorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 7 {1 d8 b2 U3 U" X# J# q
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 9 s$ u" n0 s1 A. d: W
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
7 [7 q* U9 ]$ g- l2 O3 a4 mwhat 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 & ?8 ?9 M( Z: F' r0 k( @2 e
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 1 T7 E: A, }: X U! @
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that ! i5 u# @ a2 A( |1 @4 e
price.
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7 X4 i1 ~0 A0 R! i3 O1 K* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
9 j! L- q) B: G$ U9 ibusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
1 U% e! B# V# @: b2 I; oexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 V" y5 K/ m, ~( |% j* Y8 W! N
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 0 b2 P% o4 X7 }
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 5 Z# N& u' ^$ W* F6 N7 i7 Z
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. ' X) C- e( z1 v' A8 \0 {1 I2 `
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
4 y5 W: X( y7 |die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.6 g6 e+ E: s1 {% [( s( y. z
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have ( G, V- H' R5 T5 j# q. p* r( M
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
( F" r, y* U1 u5 f1 Vprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
, I4 d! i! V+ l3 fyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
+ }+ p/ n+ L7 i; _! v/ R5 Omore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 0 J M- F: d; W8 j V# Z( D
better chance you have of securing the best deal.; C4 s2 r& H8 T
0 [" u. D+ N" `+ ?* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
1 Y7 p- M$ U4 J( x$ s. r8 U' O ^) Hproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 2 D+ u& q U6 }; i+ r
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do " g9 Q. ~. D0 n+ S3 e
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
9 j# L1 u) T$ @6 d- {1 Oconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 8 q, p& z. ]0 b
buyers in during the bubble years.' P0 J9 {" F/ Y) {
; K# D+ }" o5 h7 `2 ]* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 9 @$ G. i) \! q/ p' d4 J' d
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 4 l/ b6 [2 F" }/ {& v) p. q
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 4 I; i R Y6 R( K
he’ll close. |
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