 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
/ `! H! R7 F ~1 q" k. u3 |1 \falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
( F0 d1 I. Q/ o0 a' k0 M4 [2 cbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
, E8 b, [. v0 h+ [2 Qthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and + d' e6 ^/ E1 P/ W
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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$ F- m3 r: o' h5 U4 t7 [2 @ R) ]So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 6 }" j( f- @" _+ F
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this ! y$ L) f. s v- {7 T! ^
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)( x! f' D4 \" B8 h' n5 I
9 R6 g- v" k7 h# K* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
6 R- e. c* o) t' z! Yproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
' g: c" D. _ k9 l4 d) a. qseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you . m8 N$ h* g1 y& D
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with., M, q* `+ D4 B1 n( D) t
$ ~: b; U% P t! t! O* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 6 n" n3 {- P D5 y) G9 q9 Y R
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
* x* T. L) ?- ~! B6 {8 b4 Ocashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
( @8 D6 i5 }2 B' Bhaving a powerful psychological impact./ P6 K- z7 R' @& Z- c1 j5 w9 a
" E5 s% c) i+ L% s' n* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is . f8 ?2 v3 z$ t
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
; Z* K1 \0 `" F3 Eorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
+ P$ X6 A7 x* e6 V; j xthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
3 ?" x# J% ^' }# @never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
- R) r2 ` H l5 K) Pwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.9 Y% K8 l$ d4 r8 K2 L" ]
/ h" @1 l2 c, j# J! ~1 L* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ; h. @4 W$ \, L
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
$ \7 ]3 C9 y2 R7 ?) ethat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
5 n9 S* s/ Q# L3 _! mprice.
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) J3 b. o7 p: p* A* n& D* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 1 M3 z9 Q% E6 u9 J7 N
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
6 ?5 i. i' q6 }6 a2 c+ @expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 9 J |9 w3 z2 @; m
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
" y' U% v4 a9 Q8 x3 e) Y7 ^( Ohave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of W7 L& _% a7 ]4 H. n6 L# L
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
. T$ Y: F: |- a; ]Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will % o3 G1 A7 N! s+ @7 H9 }
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture." p" P6 T: A- z) |: y1 t# _( S* A
9 m) B$ _9 ?- V4 X0 K* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 3 y1 ^- c1 `2 [; N
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
# \8 Z- P! z" xprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ! J) z2 U! c. n$ N# U) m
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The - `$ M5 T9 u1 R9 x7 f! x1 F3 `
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the . O6 _0 K2 V$ J3 }3 Z- N4 x8 c
better chance you have of securing the best deal.; C4 I5 B3 w3 Z/ v
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
7 T( c# Z' f' f s2 g" S) a/ j! b1 Gproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That & z' z9 o& ^' ]" C# a; O# S
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
7 r2 C% U( |1 b" X, gto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just h5 q* d; O. {9 _& \9 u3 P
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed 9 e, _4 g% u7 d# ^9 X5 }0 u
buyers 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
1 `; J) a9 ?; V5 k9 v9 |3 r! Idie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
8 ^' _" ^' H% p7 j( x1 b' o/ Nwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
: a$ U, d* R; C7 ]% `3 zhe’ll close. |
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