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7 Insider Secrets for Bargain-Seeking House Hunters
1.Get - and stay - clear on what “bargain” actually means. Learn the difference between the asking price and the fair market value of a home. Many buyers think a bargain is any sale price below the asking price. But a home’s asking price is an indicator of the seller’s intention, and can be roughly the same as, greater than or less than the actual market value of the home. In fact, a bargain is a home that you buy at a discount from the fair market value, or one you get with some other perks. If the list price is set high, a below-asking sale price could still be above-market, and if it’s set low, you could pay more than the asking price and still get a great deal!
2. ‘Regular’ sales may present better bargain opportunities than foreclosures and short sales. Contrary to popular belief, individual home sellers have more leeway and, often, more motivation to accept a lower offer than bank negotiators do. The banks must adhere to guidelines, including that they may only accept an offer X below the fair market value - many banks have a policy of slightly reducing the list price and re-market the home before taking a lowball offer.
3.Look for sellers who have demonstrated their flexibility on price. When you house hunt online, don’t limit your search criteria to beds, baths and square feet. Search for price-reduced homes or, at the very least, sort and prioritize your search results by the dollar amount or percentage by which the price has already been cut.
These discounted digs might already be a bargain, and in some cases, the sellers might be
willing to deal even more!
4.Find a motivated seller - look for homes with longer-than-average Days on Market (DOM). Talk with your broker or agent and have them educate you about the average number of days a home in your area stays on the market. Homes that are lingering on the market for much longer than that may hold the potential for negotiating an even deeper discount, as their sellers might be very, very antsy and ready to take even a below-asking offer.
5.Don’t insult the seller. It might feel like you’re an ace wheeler and dealer when you make a lowball offer on a home for sale. Buyers can get bravado, like, “Ha, Seller, you want X? Well, I’m only paying X minus 40% - deal with it.” Or, you might think, “I’ll offer you 40% less, then we’ll go back and forth 7 or 8 times, and I’ll be happy with a 20% discount off the asking price.”
6.Give to get. Have your Realtor interview the seller’s Realtor to glean as much detail as possible about why they are selling, what their priority is (e.g., fast close or most cash?), and what the motivating facts are surrounding their sale (e.g., are they upside down, relocating for work, getting divorced, or any other facts that may be relevant)?
7.Sell yourself. Even when they have multiple offers, today’s sellers will take a lower offer that looks certain to close over a higher offer that has no chance of closing. No seller wants to waste their time on a buyer/offer who can’t close and then have to put their home back on the market 30 or 40 days later.
What is your secret to finding a home at a bargain price?
Randy BettInvestment Realtor/Author/Investor
Real Estate Professionals Inc.Better Group Real Estate 202-5403 Crowchild Trail NWCalgary, AB T3B 4Z1
Phone:403-774-7464 Ext:1Fax:403-208-0082Toll Free fax:888-711-6801
Randy Bett www.BetterGroupRealEstate.ca