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Updated over 5 years ago,
Creative offer strategy for distressed seller
I found a great 4/2 duplex opportunity in a neighborhood that is converting. I need some help coming up with creative offers that would help the seller get out of a sticky situation. First of all, the seller is the listing Realtor. The seller bought the duplex over a year ago after a fire. He has remedied all of the fire damage and replaced the entire roof including trusses. Essentially is is a blank slate inside. The only things that have been completed are the roof/truss, furnace and ductwork, electrical w/ passed inspection and exterior painting. All floors, sheetrock, electrical finish work, insulation, entire kitchen including cabinets, both entire bathrooms, 2 condensers, painting, etc... need to be completed. Basically I would have a new house in a 1940-1950 era neighborhood. There are many other tear-down and rebuilds happening.
The seller has listed the property at my interpretation of ARV based on duplex comps ($160k) but claims an ARV based on single-family comps ($250k+). He has a construction loan of $123k but I don't know how much he has actually drawn on the loan for the work so far. I would also assume he has a down payment tied up as well. After running the numbers I would need to purchase at $60k knowing I will need to put another $60k into the property. Cost of money as well as a BRRRR exit strategy would get me very close to the current asking price and my interpretation of ARV. I have also asked two Realtors in the area and they independently came up with $161k and $163k as the ARV so I am pretty secure about that.
So my question is, how can I get creative with my offer so that the seller won't just blow me off? I have a feeling his construction loan is about to foreclose as he has already dropped the price $10k in the first 10 days. I can be open book and show him my numbers, but I think that will just drive him away. Is there something that I could do to assume his construction loan and get him out of his sticky situation? Any other ideas?