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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
6 J" q _, n; [# C* O1 Kfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the $ f* U- A+ K. Y9 y
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
: f$ D+ {7 e+ J0 f7 othe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 9 Y2 q7 ~0 u5 U$ {
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.* |, I+ r# g( m/ ~7 r9 F2 v
+ x7 L4 c( n9 l$ \So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 7 a) ~1 i' d: A$ z/ e9 l2 E
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this 4 t- d8 l( e i ?4 ]
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)5 _8 x; p7 s% Q
8 S3 H/ d* S% `; T0 R: [* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
e- Z8 p# z7 W2 K, Rproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
! l% o8 I/ S& `! q" J+ Gseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you / Y! G k+ V+ R0 F1 o {
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
8 d& x7 P; _; @6 D: K( jthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
( V7 I+ M& a4 v+ g) P" Icashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
# A5 V6 n" L; k. ~5 lhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
5 K: Z; e. t' r! d4 `completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
2 P+ ]1 K. z7 T0 D! N/ H6 D1 \order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 0 |: ]1 \7 h* S) d' s* E) C
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 2 ~( h7 t' w4 ]5 }6 k+ Z {) M( h
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
. ~6 x- @* i% k! z2 d. J8 x( e7 H5 nwhat 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
, z; H' N" U3 Y8 g* K: I5 }" t; ]property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
/ R0 @# p; m; z- ^. e/ D" s' z5 ^ Gthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
$ ~ S! D. N" |' w, b' J+ oprice.
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?" ~: O7 X2 X: f6 L* v* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 5 Z; O4 p2 ^% j& m
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
5 y* G2 B1 T! t7 b: Aexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
' P4 Q. x9 b7 Q" Z% |$ p2 K, Xwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 7 A, r* S/ A; Q% [8 Y0 B( B0 s
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of & T3 \8 Q9 e# T0 E6 E( Y. @
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
0 J* k4 U$ |& d" e, FSince the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will # f8 Y1 X! O/ Z6 `9 @& h, ?3 b- j
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.' h/ a$ b# {. d& E( A1 z
( I7 y% `. p6 T( w/ f4 v/ P0 K/ M* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have , }+ R& }7 n5 u1 u6 q2 J( F
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
- L7 k; y4 ?7 zprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
) \9 c9 y* b8 k7 D) q( Yyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 5 u" `1 A- d- K, Y$ c
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the ; t! F7 ?% w7 k' s& Y. i( Z
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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0 L* }3 e$ `/ ^! j B1 C) v* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing * r+ R* w; r. L/ w% B0 M( \& y
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That & J5 s2 t* \1 Q
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do * [! j1 H9 D1 x8 z8 f
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just : B( E# z6 k0 z2 ~7 Q n# x) c
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
) n7 r( M. C8 g9 F2 Y( [7 L ?; Pbuyers 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 ( e7 k( u$ E6 q& }
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you , y! Z' ^, P- a7 Z. n M" l
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 0 d2 R- K% A) `4 a
he’ll close. |
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