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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a * M- t; s4 _5 g) i! r
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
7 U( _$ }- p* l. U8 n6 p/ d0 Obottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
# k9 V+ j, ?2 }0 U( `2 Cthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
7 f/ D# i' q6 b3 N! ?begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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! j" v8 v- |1 rSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
; X' |1 f- C3 g Xyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
6 J% F9 T$ q8 N1 }and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)7 N: X0 s& U1 o2 g* `: g
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many $ t* `9 t- H9 A7 A6 P3 ]
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 8 v% ]1 b8 _; W' C% e' |% r8 b
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ( O% `" V0 i4 _. @! ]( |0 X* E" k
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 M9 O1 |7 s6 P" Y; l
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ! H; g" k2 a$ v+ E
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while - e1 X; T4 P7 p1 [5 j8 j
having a powerful psychological impact.* Y4 h, j" v6 w, H: Z9 c8 c
1 r# x% Z- D( [1 o/ P* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
; \' N" p4 l. o. a" T: v2 Xcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in / f" s0 p3 |4 ^( \* A/ |9 [- B9 i' \
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
' M1 I. g; x/ pthe vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you & p+ N; ]- u5 j4 t7 l |. c1 E) G2 h
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
1 D, e) Q2 n6 V6 c; o3 h& V0 Qwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.# t! W4 d% O! z S" X
/ H" a Y* T3 D( U' r! Z! e* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
( e4 {" {5 ~- O+ C4 W/ dproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know 8 b0 j/ B0 U* b" m9 g' M3 w
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that 9 L! W/ j: X" H9 j
price.
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; A; B4 q& k/ g+ t! v& i* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five # R" d/ L( j6 @8 N; ^2 P' r
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 9 o, L2 x+ }6 z4 c* I
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
# T' G9 { n# {$ g9 y5 V" wwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you # D! g* n. g, R( b3 y5 U! e
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ' t( d: ]' t9 h4 X! K3 A" P& S
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. # k7 g4 e/ Y k( R) H% N/ c
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
9 \: | u7 \6 P5 q5 xdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have 1 x5 T0 A) I. w# B6 g3 c
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
$ o) ^$ ^8 I5 [ T, a4 B' i- Tprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
" o( h! [* m& @9 S! O6 Qyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ' Z2 M! Q7 E5 W5 |* a: s
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the . a! G3 f1 O' @6 Q$ M
better chance you have of securing the best deal.0 i8 H u6 O! z8 N& C$ j8 `
6 \6 l" p2 i6 Z* Q* H p2 G# ~9 F* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing w/ M6 Z% u3 N: s
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That ( ~/ E4 v7 J! G+ l8 x( @+ Q
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 1 t4 z$ E* j0 X6 ~0 \
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
% d A$ ~- W8 t/ e/ f. Aconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
4 k8 o. r: ?3 y9 V; M8 Rbuyers 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 8 s% ], j% R y2 {+ C/ `7 l% v
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you y% f! ?( I* z# [ m* f
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
/ `' f+ r1 K# L9 w1 |4 mhe’ll close. |
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