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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
- [' w: N1 \; d; ^, e' Afalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
6 F' h" t+ p0 t L: ^ F+ B2 Cbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
+ r/ F- j5 r0 ^! v5 vthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ) ~6 `' v8 l8 W l, R' r! L5 V' S
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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9 f/ ]- b0 b8 b4 P dSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if & w; S& @, }6 y2 D5 A# ^# T9 {
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
6 ~' B+ Q* I6 l4 ?and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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6 y C Q+ i! m, g* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many & V/ H) ]% }& B; J3 s
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
; [! h3 \% y( k$ u& ?/ l9 Xseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ! S0 {- ?% t3 V* r7 l
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.( ^9 \2 O& j4 `" A* O! r) ]
2 `/ X2 A/ P2 U* f* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 3 B, c1 f ]* l+ G
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
4 W' N# ?6 c8 J1 f/ c6 K6 Z! B* H5 |cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while / k1 K1 X- Z7 U
having a powerful psychological impact.
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3 V' C3 a Y! I8 ~* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 4 G5 t' A) _/ F' [9 b( o2 p
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
# V/ d* X6 u8 k) j. morder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
) n: c6 p) r6 ~# ~ f9 Fthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
9 e5 J2 u3 O+ _- |/ xnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
4 U4 f% C, U7 ?4 i9 l, B: Cwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.6 W& F9 v0 D% m7 i5 g+ o k
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
. l. G. ^0 r( Uproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know : Y9 k$ w1 H" k. E
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
1 w( |0 _3 Y6 ^! E2 Qprice.
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9 x* Q5 a( p3 x5 z* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five # j8 `5 }+ U% q
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 6 z$ f5 E9 J" M6 W9 p+ d- [
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of ' h* M( D9 Q9 L6 Y, ^
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
, |( t$ |$ W: s- ~4 bhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ! Z4 \4 e! L2 ~
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. % h5 d( j. g" m
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
8 y3 j7 y3 y$ }die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.0 M$ V6 M5 z% n% b( e1 A
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
. B: E" |7 |$ R3 o6 N' Z! myour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 0 c* P& q) U' T% m3 M. j
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into $ A5 \$ Z' w8 q7 y w' }
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 1 f7 ` k4 A v" A% W+ K V" A
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the - k3 Y* n4 N5 \4 O5 ^
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
* A. E9 a: G$ | w9 jproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
1 p6 V( d Z4 i5 t+ M" u# [' a% owill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do + _; ~' p- j! a+ B/ q* G- g" m- ]
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 7 V) i8 b1 V5 y% l; U6 V! J
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
/ X* g( G$ r5 @! x/ Y* _buyers in during the bubble years.1 C# Q2 V5 f0 l5 F% D
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 8 K6 M y/ M5 O3 f0 }8 q% e; I
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you ; ]* X8 [) F" m4 E7 H
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
; ?+ m0 t( D$ @" D3 b2 Dhe’ll close. |
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