 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
u0 j( ?. `1 rfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
# Y( S3 z$ w: e. o obottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
. g* G/ ~ i- g( r% r7 W8 n- s, Bthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
6 Z" E4 c6 k' _" C& y$ Gbegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.5 x# s) U( X @. |5 u2 l
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So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if 7 P4 Y' D8 O4 F$ D8 K5 g3 s7 `
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
& }$ F( O/ |) J7 oand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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' |" X) x8 D( |0 J* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
3 Q# V2 _7 i) qproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken % j6 n3 z1 G' g7 x* }! ~
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you . n. ` q2 U+ \8 c
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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1 H& t% f! `: p$ P9 ~; s: d" g* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 1 k# S& Q; O3 O/ S) ~/ D3 I
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ) K' K$ v9 E! N* H* y% W6 @+ u" O$ c
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while : j' s. i7 o( l5 M' \; Y7 F
having a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is / c0 n& f0 M; \% G( T# x A
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
7 u2 M8 Y0 a0 x* y, p! N- ]7 _order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
: I9 Q) L2 r' ?. wthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
' Q+ [) Y8 b% j3 jnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
, Z; Z4 X/ X5 W. w4 C6 \0 ~4 Pwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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. p. a; P* n" W* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 3 w* m2 b! g: f+ ~' t4 P
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
; ^: ]* E; ^, w7 r0 Uthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 0 [1 O$ j9 ]: d4 ^
price.
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& U/ w W! l; i8 K1 J2 R* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ; ?7 v: k4 W! ~7 A M) ?
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s , Q3 A7 P8 U2 ^5 P5 Z# {7 b
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 2 T0 p% L# F0 V% a* S
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
) N" k3 ~3 n" W- Y, P8 T$ Lhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of " C: V, ]" [, c
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. $ a& N6 H# j2 ?
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will : a) ?+ p7 b9 ^4 p" t
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture." y( K2 k+ \2 v7 _3 i
' @7 {$ W6 [ G; M) k* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
% X( m' z+ T/ r( Kyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the - C; C+ _- d# y3 a
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into * @1 h/ n% J# `! E
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
! M8 ? j4 n8 F+ X4 \more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the % b) j3 O# J4 m/ Q+ p0 t; h) N1 X
better chance you have of securing the best deal.7 X+ `4 s9 H: `
5 F4 _/ |" V \" k1 y& H* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing - [2 a! A: E8 b) Z" Y
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
; q) I9 i+ m$ }+ d# a8 ~3 swill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do ' A5 y% \3 W( z; K! g0 e1 e
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 0 s* w) w* _8 A
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
+ t1 d! ]4 T, G0 G* a; abuyers in during the bubble years.) j- E0 k9 R# U8 S- ?
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it D7 [! g: B8 J+ p" v: T
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you " Q' `4 w c5 f* C& [' |1 Z
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
" s5 H+ |+ k) Q; c: {9 ~5 z& m/ fhe’ll close. |
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