 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a - s0 A' I/ E# i; L/ P3 t/ c6 m
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the 6 j$ L3 g- }. e8 C; `$ x9 o
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all 1 Z( r8 Z. @, B# }7 H4 R/ S
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and / O2 J& U4 ]$ a
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.) L5 w# Y: N$ x3 S- r0 N
; y; j5 ~6 j9 F ?$ D$ G( k1 }! qSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
2 w. N F9 a0 s7 k7 B1 V5 ]you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
) S+ b% u H6 Y+ S# k) yand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
5 }' K3 t- K! _4 Q# f. I/ O0 c
+ O& ^0 o7 s: i: A9 e* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 8 f. `0 b3 f# _* w* @' a3 ]3 }
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
" a, C; c2 r3 U- |( W$ i4 ~6 v' mseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
4 l8 D) k7 Q7 t3 p/ U- E7 Iget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.3 b0 k7 N3 a+ F; k9 |
$ t& T Z0 Y" h) i
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 3 P+ |2 D, M6 u) c, e" A$ W
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
4 q4 o8 g7 H) m' }3 d1 h; |cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
3 y8 r @! C2 b; X+ i0 ]having a powerful psychological impact.
8 j O8 K) ?( I: x
& h2 m# {: }7 V% U: J7 N0 J* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
7 }/ V0 Y- T5 U" d: h" V/ X/ S6 N4 |2 qcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in 1 v u; T% P0 i( f7 w% [5 w
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
1 [. s( H1 j; a6 M/ @! H/ [* z! ithe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you , d5 c6 e7 ?4 n( ~$ b& _8 A) T
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get - Q7 r; d5 D+ P$ z; g* k( {
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
5 n! K! D* p' W: W& `% a3 B& C, e! i6 ?6 N! `8 X3 m( |
* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
/ H% u0 w8 m" y1 q8 C: y8 ?: Lproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
* a, l& q- F, othat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
! }2 P: d/ Z' {5 F! gprice./ i* ?6 z. d& a
5 Z9 I: Q- u7 d: X# z, k- [, h7 M* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
4 E* m0 V- N: w) _business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ) u( A& I x3 v( U2 d- \; G
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 1 i5 w- O8 I, L* r/ O k' U' D
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
7 R4 l* Z2 u3 P! ]( K! }have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of . U' H4 h6 y; I5 n5 E
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. - z# |+ s) Z' Q& O" p
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
! U, k4 C3 O- F; V2 J" `die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
. E" a* Q9 @" w3 d, M
: Q7 i' }* R. N6 r# N3 N; d/ h1 b* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
4 ~0 a, m/ d; \your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
. \( B6 a5 P0 k# A! a7 dprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
, ]$ D4 m7 o" i# \your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
0 L5 J) w/ y! p6 T8 V6 Cmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
6 K& l: L* D# m/ n l! P P5 I4 {better chance you have of securing the best deal.
5 \# R& b" F9 M+ p( N
. N5 R& W& ]# s8 {$ {* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
) N. e0 ~+ M7 h4 Z. V4 rproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
2 p4 w! n J1 K: U8 w3 Nwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do : R4 {, d! A+ D- w: \5 z. c1 }$ S
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
/ ?) \+ i4 [/ m( ~' z& a' ?$ gconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed ( X k& ?5 G# M! Q& K3 i
buyers in during the bubble years.8 |) p- U2 |* _: @
5 z9 q- }. v* A. J' E5 V* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it * v0 ~+ h/ A4 g( z0 C5 Z$ t) r- a
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you / x) v2 T$ j8 ]
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but * }5 X5 D. u3 r D1 S$ B. y
he’ll close. |
|