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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a $ G% b. ~' P: C& a5 D3 d, [1 X
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the $ p! I( J% |) \4 ?0 b
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all $ f; C6 _% i0 p/ ]" ?# a
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
, f8 v4 K5 d8 e! qbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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! \/ g% h& {; @. ` @4 `So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
8 ]6 c& N; N# d9 a" {/ K; J2 dyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
5 M. M5 m! H4 w' H: Gand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)9 K# r, O; p1 s# s+ ]7 W
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
4 R/ s' g' s4 n% |; C; Q$ i: lproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken , H3 V: d+ v; }3 U: U6 X6 g
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
2 R! E- O1 |; y8 _' u1 q9 iget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.( K8 P, w. u, C6 a
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
$ M" f1 E; R; d& m) ~# ^* Z# @$ `the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
9 i/ W4 e5 \( D7 E. l7 gcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
# C. A: U3 ?: x5 }7 l/ Thaving a powerful psychological impact.
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" v8 X8 H- M- @- Y) i* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is # R2 }% `$ ~0 w4 _3 s
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
1 O5 j2 m7 `# E. D% [order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
* U5 g( a2 ^3 J* F3 r7 hthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 9 I8 h2 l& b0 o( g
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
) a$ I+ |" s N6 b3 _6 awhat 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
! g: W5 {& M( G1 T8 H8 ?" D: y# P3 _property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
9 R" }' P, A% E1 v: Bthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that $ k4 |* v# R0 E6 m, C
price. W7 F) U A6 s0 I8 \& Y6 B; A7 I
+ M, a& b. G q- P& k* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five / Q3 A( j9 P5 P- F) R, w! a
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s & X/ ]$ Y7 X4 ~: ?4 c- B( V' H
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
# C5 J$ p' h( x8 C1 q' i/ owork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
5 n! l5 m: r# o) @+ m. E7 ?have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of % x# x: o" C' h+ J% B' }: {
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. # |: n' N% _2 o. Y" q& Z- a9 U8 I
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
6 _2 K: }2 A- M4 Sdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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" ]" v8 w/ W" S* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 5 ?$ q- @& S5 T! C: S6 n
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 6 C, K% W( u. E D
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into & g E7 p* z7 T4 b5 a3 a6 n( @% y! t. g* B
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
" k0 }) H* O! e" a# \more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
0 I* Z" @ X( E4 R# ^6 `- hbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
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t8 O% g( r/ h7 v* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
" A/ ~3 `- K9 l G4 B( Rproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ; y0 g0 R6 m4 R3 q
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
5 J/ D( e: |* B) ]; Zto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
2 a; m0 r3 d8 @5 V; jconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed . e: H/ u; q+ S* P
buyers in during the bubble years.+ E# |" n0 A( k, _; ?! o
$ v- i8 {) `% A: n2 J* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it , O2 a7 _ X+ x" ~
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ( g7 h8 p" c" A+ n& e, H0 p6 k
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 8 u& Q; V8 }: W
he’ll close. |
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