 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 9 }1 L! \+ i" O: t0 n9 L
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the . N( n3 I- V% h0 M, n
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all + `2 B" u' |4 h r* p! W
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 2 z. V* K2 h' J5 W) Q# \+ x
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part., {" A) \8 n, E( l2 v
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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 & `* h- V4 j8 a, J
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
$ X, Z6 `1 O/ ]2 D: V1 Aand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)8 k) J% \, W7 R
0 N+ N, C' F& F1 T7 J' V- X* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many 7 i( L3 V0 \; T+ n, D% P- d
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
3 o/ U: h! ]% T0 `! V' H' D# eseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you + y& F' |! Y0 h" ]
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 + d1 N1 Q; _. D- e p4 {3 r
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not / A; F, `* A! E# I8 h& C% V! b2 x
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
% }! J" N" ^* K2 o- P$ W3 `having a powerful psychological impact.
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9 x5 x9 w; F3 _* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 7 R; ?9 F0 i3 J) w1 g3 Z s1 d
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in / U, V2 \& V6 L
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
3 Z0 G9 Q: D$ a C7 `: u9 }the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 4 T3 J* A( p# T! D, s" G8 F1 n
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 6 G5 s; {( ^) E
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.4 E! @# V) B' i O' M$ E' R9 }
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
5 [2 f# D! J, t1 a: L5 hproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
5 b$ \5 t j3 N4 p0 Sthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that " `: }# b' A) }. f
price.
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* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 2 g: S! B# R4 f& N2 j6 @
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s 3 }0 @! ^4 O" R3 J( i
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of 1 ^/ c9 [; V* A) y! G
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
: B I/ o, y+ H' Hhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of + d1 K" K2 \: S4 n$ G, a6 ~
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount.
6 h2 {5 D% S' ]Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 5 `+ P" C- l, L5 I4 F2 q% t, }
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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' A0 T! L0 K- o! Y* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have . p; J; A+ z6 z6 K) f; T
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the 6 U( U% x/ i$ F
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into 8 `) u1 Y4 s9 j4 r" s$ W6 z4 H
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
& x# i, r H/ Z- b/ \! c" F" T! ?5 pmore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
- x2 x1 a/ W( A/ Hbetter 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
; x! j+ \3 f2 ]$ U( kproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
* r" W$ |+ D$ zwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do & ]+ O1 p2 J2 o7 t8 Y& M9 v& t
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
/ I* R5 ]! g) \consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
" \& v1 x2 T7 i) F; z6 r, Q) Y# ebuyers in during the bubble years.1 q" |; E' h2 l* A3 S; I
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it 5 w: s) J2 G) `! ?5 ]' y2 F; L2 W
die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
. ~+ U; N; A" R, zwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but # c7 K/ s& Y& m) t9 N
he’ll close. |
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