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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
* i/ q; f8 z' yfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
9 ^+ a# }: I/ @. [0 D: r) D; Ubottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
7 ]2 T! }# L$ _the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 7 @; S& x' [# J2 C) a
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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8 N4 A" X/ Z3 y; o6 e& m1 J* RSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 9 Z& M/ ]' P4 v5 L
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
4 x4 A0 V1 {/ g% K. D9 cand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)& b) W; Q5 [* E& Q
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 9 P2 f2 e9 K. d# \* C6 [
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
8 b* m% O y1 Z2 y+ z( Dseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ; w" ?! c+ N1 ^' v i+ ?" y
get 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 + X9 \/ } o. @ y3 I+ S
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not # T3 y& u' ]' g$ I
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
& @% B; B# X+ Hhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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4 I3 J3 P. l- {8 P3 l2 T% T6 x* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
7 W6 Z, V/ r4 a1 Q% T& W+ x4 Xcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 3 e: o- H# m$ k* n
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
$ V; s+ J/ M$ M [3 s0 X4 b4 P' _1 \the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you . Q1 |' V' t0 {
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
8 _' h$ |" [: k- L1 Jwhat 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
7 l5 k7 n/ `( Xproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know n# v, Q% o& ?0 m7 D/ d7 O2 g
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
& `9 H/ i* s, U1 d; gprice.
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# @, K. b' T. I4 p$ F* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 1 h; ^- K$ b& q4 f
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s " P1 ^' Z) N$ D3 U
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of % S% i* Y2 U" _2 L2 P* a
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you $ w( \0 e) x$ n h% P" L" k
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of , K0 p2 _" K/ i k* H- M' e( k+ Z
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. # O7 a- t" x$ `/ T" e# C
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
4 n) a: B! P) E' J) j# Odie 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 , Z& z4 U. |: y8 @* w7 \
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 9 ]9 a5 t6 I1 K0 Z
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 1 N; H; v, d; ~! [
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
3 J' }% a% x: U \6 N4 C- w# y1 Wmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
2 h: ^) p3 q' @4 V9 W: k$ A. y+ \better chance you have of securing the best deal.# `3 u* t: b% |. ^+ ^
7 s( G, m( ] e. {+ V+ }* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing $ v0 I! i, r2 G! k
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
\) }. x; ]+ @( e7 ]will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
9 L3 j" l, N+ s1 ~to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
) d4 `- q( q$ }8 n# J9 _' econsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 9 Y# t$ Q) Q% \5 h
buyers in during the bubble years.0 E# Z: `! A3 K2 A( c6 W% K& d
, Y( U6 `$ [, [. U# w* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it ( F, V$ l. l ^" J) V
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 1 y4 R* u3 |7 P* t
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
$ z) ?( K& _- Q$ u# P8 whe’ll close. |
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