How Do I Buy Something That Isn't For Sale?

We get a couple of approaches to sell each week, even in these slower times. Maybe because we live in a tightly held suburb of particular interest to a certain demographic.

Knock on the door, flyer in the letter box, hand written “personal” request (always from a family with little children who “love” our house/street/nearby park).

We have no intention of selling.

The only way our mind may be changed would be if we were offered a few hundred thousand dollars over market value, and that’s not going to happen.

But you can always give it a go...
Marg

 

Hi Michael

We purchased our last development site by simply knocking on the door!

True story!
It was fair to say we knocked on a few doors before this one but only ever targeted houses we really wanted.

I am not that way inclined, as I am not a sales person and do not enjoy invading someone's privacy but this is what I did and I created a win/win situation. Best thing we did for all parties involved.

We offered $1 million dollars for this old shack on the rail line in Fairfield 3078.



and we build four units pictured below....


Long story but unbeknown to us the owners had enough but due to it's condition and the junk on the site they didn't want to approach and agents. We managed to get a really long settlement which suited our development plans and we saved the vendors the cost of cleaning, cost of junk removal, the cost of pre-sale make-over and of course the cost of AGENT's FEEs.

All parties won as those extra (sales type costs were never incurred.

Paul

 

I’ve tried targeting streets i liked with written letters. I hit someone up on facebook once because they were publicly listed (a bit new age i know, but its a new world!). Never worked!

 

I think if you pay market rate by an independent valuation and they get the benefits of saving agents fees, saving marketing fees, saving styling, no listing process, no campaign preparations for weekend inspections and mid week evenings... its all upside for the seller. The sale process alone is a huge PITA.

 

What a great result

 

Dangle the carrot and see if they want it.

 

Before Landgate starting requiring photo ID verification for land transfers, this was not an uncommon occurrence in WA a few years ago...

 

I'd say you're quite lucky on that one.

 

Nice neighbourhood watch!

 

Yes basically this. In reality, everything is for sale! If you hit the right price people will sell e.g. most people wouldn't have turned this down....

As Marg has said, if they're genuinely not considering selling anyway then you'll have to pay a premium to get a result. Always worth a question though as you never know, they might be about to sign a sales agree with a local agent!

- Andrew