 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
3 _+ c2 Y2 ~/ C! a% @% Cfalling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the & p. R! `* g/ D: i, ^. z
bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all # M \& f3 V. _4 P! s
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and t; ~$ f. \1 ^- E- j" B
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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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 1 u2 O3 X7 c- R R
you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
8 C# l$ \( w5 F& @0 t- e) p4 Uand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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/ s; f- k- P9 b9 N; V0 j* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
3 `1 X6 [' E G O1 j! U$ w3 Hproperties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken ; \( p! ?/ O! ^# @* J
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you ' n c' N G1 c. V; O
get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with. M3 T! y4 d: J, K [$ M2 Z
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on ; M2 @* b* _+ K
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not
/ u" ^1 I3 ~9 E0 o8 l$ [! g, Tcashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while " R S( e1 j+ V* v; f- |9 O
having a powerful psychological impact.4 K3 Z) h% B+ W+ `0 _' y
6 U2 D' t1 J) B4 h* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is 1 h: L. a. L: Y! N5 E# r$ D
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
7 N% a; k6 X- [$ _& t% K2 ]0 Porder to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on 4 Z; k( V4 D' F
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
: x: i" N: K% ]3 i' p' m( K* Mnever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get - J2 ?# N5 i) {& Z! X4 ?6 c5 \% ^
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.: J3 z& I$ X+ V! h, ]3 H
; C" \+ `5 @$ u7 D: Y5 q0 s8 k* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another
A( ^0 w D( {9 B% Aproperty – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
5 z+ ~& q" |4 g: p3 Othat immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that : a* Z. f5 M0 L5 H( I
price.! K6 x/ l0 V8 x
6 _+ D M6 |1 c) o) N* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five
s1 S- R) K0 Z _2 t# e! J( zbusiness days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s ( w5 A: q4 o3 s9 T
expense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of & ^& ?' f p, }
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
4 [# Y7 j7 g9 g* `/ O# i4 chave leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of & T1 Z3 T. i% Z7 y- g
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 3 @+ M" [: c0 N
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will ' X6 \7 r; B6 Z3 p' X$ e3 ]
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.( v% O6 h+ h( Z, F
) n: r: Q2 a( Z, n* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
6 M( E* H4 _! K$ ~) k6 Jyour agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the ' }" c& L5 w* w- W6 r2 H& _- ?
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
+ M: i" ^3 q+ n3 cyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
: N$ C: @) c5 D9 umore you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
2 p: E3 ?! T2 e: L" ]better chance you have of securing the best deal.7 ~9 h7 |0 Q# D1 Q3 a7 S4 }
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* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing 1 _) s3 W7 D, g8 \6 P Z3 M$ {5 W
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That 7 C* |# F- B' {8 p/ `9 [
will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
5 n6 \0 u" f9 Ito save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just 4 _# F+ u/ F- u6 P! B& Z) j
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
! ^, C- K7 y+ |+ X: f$ r1 sbuyers in during the bubble years.
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) s! L" C) I- Q2 t7 m& o* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
% h6 z! i& z$ K) A/ \die. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 1 k' C+ z( L0 n m* o
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ) n1 e$ \9 T1 d8 Y& p
he’ll close. |
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