 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a
+ d; c' M% m% `8 {0 Y* Qfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
% v* ?) G s7 y7 q/ _bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
4 j* |- t* E9 w4 S' X0 X; ythe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 2 [' y6 r! t% `( `* @1 F0 s3 u
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.7 C0 \1 _2 R d0 E: Q3 I- z
/ T1 x. _7 \1 C: i. j
So, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if - l3 F4 P1 A9 R; h5 D
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this / C5 B. x9 M* Y) _/ @' m
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)4 o+ N' E+ [6 t4 `2 ?
6 F: l4 g) n, D4 ~. Y6 H V1 O* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many - f+ x- x% p" a [3 i/ I2 ]
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ; P( J! M3 K4 c: S1 P
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you & z# w( ]( N7 I2 I) r$ Y {
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.7 v( x: }0 K" \8 {) q: s' }
9 i) m% {0 c: R5 X" c& F
* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
1 S! D# M1 i5 n( R# B7 Rthe end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not ' i% L! D, L& N4 [* t' h1 F* S: W
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while ( y8 d% E m- r3 O; W
having a powerful psychological impact.
$ k8 t6 A$ r0 t% q
( t+ B* ?2 T; Q6 v) @/ D5 n* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is $ P1 ^9 T4 A3 P9 o6 B
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
& r" N0 O9 S% V1 h# x& V; horder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on $ _) ?6 F% L. \+ o
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
9 ` `/ U" U7 Z! g$ v2 C; o+ \never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get
" S _( L9 z% [* N1 _- p8 cwhat you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.* k; Q9 d: ]- j- d4 t
! X; B: U* F5 W' n7 i* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 4 @5 Q5 m: K7 C, o5 P6 m
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know * J7 f7 N9 F" ~2 s6 W' a
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that + J6 [5 D+ r/ E
price./ s. ]. g$ G5 B; ?, ~; k* h3 I K
9 Y# h. u6 q. T; N2 g) y$ a6 B3 G
* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
U7 f# I8 p# T+ I* b/ C1 ^ wbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
% ?) `8 Z3 j) o) lexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of , E8 s: S9 j* K& P9 E# o/ I' f# g0 h/ h
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you / ?# q* T) Z. u7 ]: H+ I" {/ Y
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of ) K8 N0 A) e) C2 R7 E- K, B
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. " P0 {* r. A! \4 C. q" |
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 6 |3 ?0 t7 I" e$ u$ c6 Z- Y
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
7 X! p5 H/ _% S5 q$ O: D( i
* r+ \1 o6 T1 @, _* t0 M# M* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
) g. p, L; u" C6 A, wyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the " q) m d! |2 f& \% q. J
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
2 Z# h* {. L. z* b5 U t# jyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
) _3 {' v6 d; ~( I7 fmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
" n0 b- v! Z, y. Dbetter chance you have of securing the best deal.
3 T# ~* R* N# x/ \& _: ^, S6 U' G3 k% U' W+ T5 m, `) ~
* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
/ x* B: [) o+ o$ b. aproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
. V" c3 a2 f7 ?& f9 ewill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do 9 j1 R: X" l% [8 g. r) n
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
' ~9 r! g0 x" g) ~; Yconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
% Z3 h5 U9 s: K, z; u$ Ebuyers in during the bubble years.. I6 |. {) ?6 z- B& c9 H
/ d; }5 E5 p5 h3 y* f' A
* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 7 U: ?, Z C: h! I# w
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 8 p5 O$ g6 o! F) P9 ]
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but * F1 c7 j! j( g/ N# F/ N
he’ll close. |
|