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I’m often asked by people who like to prey on others how to buy real estate in a 9 o2 g& I. r$ |5 Y2 Z8 }
falling market, like this one. The danger of doing so is that you buy before the
# }& f8 I1 b5 O: p6 x( Wbottom arrives, and take a capital gains hit. The advantage is you hold absolutely all ! F4 y8 C/ o. J% r
the cards, and can strike a great deal while the victim-seller is writhing in pain and
- A! @) b, ^! d$ }/ Ybegging for mercy. That’s the fun part.
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1 P' f/ f2 i" o8 o4 a$ GSo, don’t ask me if it’s time to buy yet, because you won’t like the answer. But if
- ^' l: v: ~( |5 | \# @you want some tips on being a vulture, for when the moment’s right, then clip this
7 ?' s. I9 D/ e% land stick it on the fridge. (By the way, this is another preview of my coming book.)
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* Offer what you want to pay, not what the vendor is asking to be paid. With so many
+ A* t5 Y% {# [# {properties listed, and so little sales activity, every offer has to be taken 8 m5 q7 F7 } H; k
seriously. Only by writing up an offer on your own terms, at your own price, will you
* h# ^5 |( H* Y! y* }3 T! ~2 ]get a sign-back showing the true level of desperation you’re dealing with.* F# f6 }4 q" f$ g$ i7 D
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* Always submit the offer with a deposit cheque, which is like putting a shiny lure on
, P9 F8 {, t- o% Y3 ^the end of your fishing line. However, the offer must stipulate the cheque is not 7 M- ?5 y5 i1 a
cashable until a firm and binding agreement is reached. So, it means nothing, while
- w9 I S6 ]7 ~! [! T* bhaving a powerful psychological impact.
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* Throw in as many conditions as you want. This will create an offer that is , L" J, a; c# u* N: F8 M) t
completely tailored to your needs and wants while providing elements you can remove in * L) |3 l8 G- f$ u' c
order to gain things you truly want. So, for example, make the offer conditional on
0 q& V9 t# c! s, R7 v" I# U7 ]the vendors paying all your closing costs, including land transfer tax. While you
4 h/ J ~" N7 N6 }% \. snever expect that to happen, you can remove it during negotiations in order to get 7 U) }" r) H4 @+ J
what you do want and expect, which is a bargain price.5 T( H. t! N' [/ P0 W& s0 ^+ v0 b9 h# {
1 z% @. L6 n4 ]; v0 I6 H4 `6 @* Ditto for conditions giving you time to arrange financing or even to sell another 0 `, X" m- y# L4 M
property – they are both traditional deal-breakers, and the vendor’s agent will know
9 M: {) o6 \1 F8 L) {' Z9 [6 ~that immediately. So, by reluctantly removing them you move far closer to getting that # f; U1 M1 v. K$ i: S
price.- { I+ s6 B2 n% F' \
' P$ R8 ?6 A. p, E, f2 i& ^* Best, however, to insist on a home inspection. This condition should give you five 3 M, q& E) Y4 N! V
business days to complete the process, and is normally done at the purchaser’s
# T, S8 d3 b* e( rexpense. The reason you want this is because almost all properties need some kind of - l" l! G% Z' t, X
work done in order to make them perfect, and when you get the inspector’s report you 7 {0 a3 ~: @1 X& [3 q/ [; i, u
have leverage to help you drive down the price. Simply get an estimate of the cost of 9 t+ i5 C5 h+ u5 _% c1 }
the repairs and ask for the deal to be rewritten with a price reduced by that amount. 8 Z7 a' M: N- b
Since the vendor knows the condition is entirely for your benefit and the deal will
9 k V- j. Z% w) \( ~( u& rdie unless you sign a waiver, well, guess what? Vulture.
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1 y) y2 E) k, \: e* And remember that the closing date is also an important poker chip to play. Have
1 n; s& L w) t" d/ \your agent find out what the vendor wants, and then use that to help leverage the . R+ @" O% ~3 A
price down. Additionally, you can throw any assets you see around the property into
/ d, \" h5 ]2 j2 Gyour offer – power tools, appliances, lawn tractor, Harley-Davidson, whatever. The
4 n0 }: H# ?: p0 [more you put in, the more clutter there is for the vendor to wade through, and the : A: W ]$ Q$ V7 e) a' b6 D
better chance you have of securing the best deal.
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5 |! P- m! X6 _* E1 [; ^! h4 d9 A1 R' K4 t* Speaking of which, why not make two offers at the same time on two competing $ l- D, X4 ]% [! D8 \- n8 v
properties, and then let that fact be known (through your agent) to the vendor? That
) R, z5 p' {5 s' b: }# }will add even more pressure to the poor guy, as he tries to figure out what he must do ; G3 b; c, b+ ` `, T
to save the deal, and give you what you want. This may be cruel and unusual, but just % P& t/ s3 I: \3 I2 {
consider it payback for all those multiple-offer situations greedy vendors placed
- `, E8 I) Q2 M* Gbuyers 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
7 U/ h! \( d" ~2 d# m: odie. Wait a week and go back in with another one, for the same low price. Odds are you 5 G! U7 p# h9 f2 @4 }: j( x
will not get the same response this time. The stressed-out vendor may hate you, but ' I5 z8 z, j; {/ _& F/ y6 E; x6 d
he’ll close. |
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