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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
! W, F# F/ ?% }, @falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the & D3 t9 ~$ g$ i o: _
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
- t* k% y+ t6 |$ d1 |( H& Ithe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 5 j/ w/ X$ h* H( p8 G3 l% X8 F, e
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.% s$ r9 X$ d/ n* M& I- D
6 j4 @% \: C! W7 g4 RSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 5 B$ n" h* t& {( F
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this * M j+ g5 ]- H% g- @) q |
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)/ {; D+ H% x+ j8 s6 q" A6 @. A
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 3 V. G+ i' V% L4 }
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken * J. c$ _ D( l$ e% |" F5 j
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you 5 a& d8 ?8 K, \, t+ c8 `
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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' u ]- B# W \8 f* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 4 \. ?% w0 H5 M P& U; f
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
% ]% n) p3 a$ H+ f2 dcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ; `) N, |# |" h
having a powerful psychological impact.4 _7 ?. @8 Q0 j5 B8 ]+ {+ Y
7 \5 O5 v5 f6 b2 u* X( D* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 1 n+ ]) L* b2 C* P3 k' |- Z8 \# _
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
N: g) V7 h' _( ^, o- K# korder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
; e7 _6 D3 y# jthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
9 i& y$ ~+ @- O$ Y6 H; snever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
6 U: d4 n& A3 z; b) F. twhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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2 p( t- i4 b0 ]' z7 E+ C* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 0 C) ^& }5 e# Y5 f/ f
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
3 k0 t- y+ k" u8 h& f8 [% O1 Nthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 8 s9 M! ?- }4 T6 R: l- k) v
price.4 h9 [6 n' X& `- w* o d2 g
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
) j b- @5 B% ] P9 ?business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
1 g4 v) v7 e; ?expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 8 g* W5 N' Y9 Y
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you , U% V5 l. S; T" Z V
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
1 S1 i: k/ f+ b$ a3 Y- A( i) o$ Lthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. : f% b, e5 R8 E0 j' V
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
5 W8 E- a4 R4 Idie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.+ `5 ~+ Y$ N9 T5 f
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have - V$ j3 t6 H8 \4 C$ n0 T$ [; [
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the : N9 U2 l6 R/ S. `3 e/ H
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into ) }" h5 ]1 `% v8 O! y- P5 r
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 9 E, |( R" \0 }8 O$ X0 B0 _
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
* x7 c. \( O9 M# wbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.1 U. o- f. ?/ }& f- O
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
3 H: ]3 P. [9 T3 j+ gproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
1 c8 Z2 b# ~. a: w. I4 z" A Cwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 4 D3 j4 A- |2 S+ p" s
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
. g5 R# q. R( l5 Zconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ) @! _* F- X3 i; s$ G/ k
buyers in during the bubble years.2 I; ?: l: R ~9 U3 w6 _
" ~( D5 B6 ?) q* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
- u8 B; m/ z7 Q8 K8 o/ Cdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you - v8 `2 h# n/ r% P3 r
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ' \) w q4 \9 A! S0 S7 B/ _- c% I5 d, w
he’ll close. |
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