 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
2 e ?3 \, t# @4 tfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
' }3 I- ]7 G0 H0 g# Ebottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all " _: P1 u2 f0 K7 I" A
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and 3 R0 w! G9 G: l# v
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.7 S4 D# F% k* w9 {( x* H3 f$ X0 _! d! ~
0 J; h7 s$ I$ m) DSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if & U) F% d, a; G$ K4 j! C
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this % Q; H6 X; d, N! O: i! @
and stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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) {* U/ o. J; t6 U: J B' e8 z( w* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
3 [% M, M8 S5 V, }# P! M, c M2 \properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken : h3 I5 }0 R) ?' p7 b
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
# p, s$ p$ Q$ O5 t7 W/ v! m" cget a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.
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6 ~2 [ N! D4 Z% A* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 9 V2 {$ H: v' \" g) l; I1 e8 B
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 4 j5 t, t9 U+ ~
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while {+ h+ ^. Y, L6 w/ |5 r" s5 @* ^
having a powerful psychological impact.
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8 d1 J3 n6 `' B1 T: Y5 W* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is : A9 @7 v- q8 T7 ^+ s9 f, n+ A
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
' q6 t2 K$ q* ^' [( o9 y2 |$ p: Qorder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
) P$ B+ x% m$ n9 K {the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
% o; m+ ^; X5 v2 H: Qnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get ! g! z/ P% `& C' Y. Q* ^
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.
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* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
& D/ {9 C& n+ c/ t/ Oproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
3 j! [! c6 o0 qthat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
% _, l% ]2 j3 {4 p" Tprice.' ~3 X3 M* S+ O/ u8 }
, ~0 _1 I' F0 C, C& N* _) k* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
5 _/ E. b' I4 @9 a! R5 abusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s : C' G) `% Q8 m, g
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of % l1 Z8 A$ H% j1 N# c
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
, h4 p: M% T" uhave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of " @8 r& w4 X! M I' O
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 0 U" w+ R& G3 `: Z5 m
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
1 ~1 ]$ U2 \1 s5 A3 ]die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.& X3 c3 t; e( _/ S: J8 u
: Z9 p' |3 l9 q* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
$ I, M) Y- \. ^$ b) [) C- r( R+ [your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the
5 F; C' N( G( q; Iprice down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into + c) ~9 H; {# R# E7 A y4 D
your offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The 8 y9 F7 h! {; M; c/ C+ ^$ b
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the 6 J& N5 ^: F/ g: s
better chance you have of securing the best deal.& b: Y; B- C G+ g8 Q* h" D* d: H
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
; X$ r! H; ^# {" R- f9 y$ Hproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
( E/ r8 j; j4 k2 S! Lwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do " B1 E4 X& u9 \% z+ }
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
3 n0 J* p& M8 N( ]) Iconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
& d5 [+ {- |5 R7 S( fbuyers 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
+ F3 ?- g6 x$ [5 X- Idie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
8 E0 r: q7 t5 t% O8 @9 n gwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but 7 }5 v; v! ]) Q
he’ll close. |
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