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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a & T5 r- l, b, ^+ M" t; v
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
; X1 Q# k) z% W( {bottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all
! N. U$ w1 K$ ]0 Cthe cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and ; l4 ^/ j' o9 n0 P( l P# N
begging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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P7 {& W+ s( ~& t$ f" V$ h' qSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
2 S8 c9 i( |: r' vyou want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
7 ~: A% O P# q- v7 u6 Z; hand stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.) t' ]3 K" `8 q
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many ) c2 S& [' p7 [9 y/ t
properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken
! ^: p( ]3 m/ O, f9 Iseriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
u- l9 F4 ]( ]2 ?+ O; ]get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.; h( Q/ {; q8 N2 ~& t- o! Y4 L& K
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on 7 [9 f d0 ], [2 d) E
the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 3 r3 E) `7 z, D" C! h0 E4 ?
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
2 g+ B" _9 l/ }: G( Hhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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( n! w0 g, G- B& z* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is
5 u4 D" m$ w5 R+ v8 Xcompletely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in
2 ~- U1 E0 g0 |order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on ) C; `$ h+ k0 _% T2 `( k5 i
the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you 7 ?5 W* z$ j; Z; ]8 G* A+ W
never expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get : B; F% _5 _9 q6 N- f
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.- u' P# D H7 C5 M+ G* J
4 z0 a' u5 b7 [9 q. b% |* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another ( \$ b% t( E0 z" [% j/ d9 O
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know * j' c$ q3 i! u0 p
that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that
) V) D" `! e; m( K3 O w& Iprice./ ~; \. W$ `: W' h h) @
! r- V) @' _5 ?( p* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five ) b( E, \8 U( B& A+ A* e4 z
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
) @8 z0 _2 S7 R, N K$ kexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of
4 p" K" B- M- x% z$ N dwork done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you
; z( p) i$ ]. |6 r- ~% U3 f% \have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of
, J& {' w& v# d2 Hthe repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 5 q- Y) r, Q# N; ]; q. U+ F
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will 5 F/ e& B* ?1 ~/ X- g
die unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.9 Z7 u+ K. G, N, r7 k' J3 r: s1 F
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* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have : {' ^7 l( h; N7 t' s! I6 h; `4 ?
your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the - C% e% c7 {5 G( p: C0 p" H
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
, k0 \! n( F7 ], W0 G- _0 Uyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The ( F& ~* x" `: q0 [( O8 e
more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the
( |% @; u- K; Z& m) ?, j- Y2 T+ rbetter chance you have of securing the best deal., x9 w' Q% O6 e2 c7 q4 E h+ p( k
* [9 f) W5 a) d9 {9 v! ^5 i* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing
) T& [0 H& p# P5 Qproperties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
8 ]& e9 j$ X \' K' L3 Dwill add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do
7 M( \# _) i- C5 w$ _( Sto save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just
C+ a1 Y9 d4 d) X4 kconsider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
4 C g7 W3 d+ Rbuyers in during the bubble years.# K# E7 x! z0 r3 k; @4 I
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* And, of course, you can make a low-ball offer, get a sign-back, and then just let it
: X0 P! p/ z7 `7 a" } n* Wdie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you
( z& t8 f& ~# V7 e. D% dwill not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but
, |# E% A/ k& z8 Hhe’ll close. |
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