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记者的观察
The realities of real estate# D/ L: R8 r2 p8 r' k& O. a) d( o
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 ! H# ^: _% K7 c1 p
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.) a( P7 G7 F% E4 `# Z$ X
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The 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta.
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She moved here in December with dreams of being a homeowner, something she could never afford in Vancouver despite four years of saving her money for a down payment.$ B. v5 |! r1 U% l3 C4 f
/ U$ u7 n p, B( LBut she didn't expect Edmonton's world of hot housing where the law of successful buying seems to consist of three elements: speed, cash and no conditions.
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"It absolutely scared me," she says. "I moved here for a house, and all of a sudden a townhouse went from $105,000 to $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."
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Laas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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, D6 v Q/ {0 ~! u# fShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."' n" t: R- s: n
1 D ^+ g8 r) q9 Y' T W& G' F: GOne house, the one she really wanted in the northwest neighbourhood of Calder, went on the market at 4 p.m. and had multiple offers by 6 p.m. so Laas walked away. In two other instances, other buyers had fewer conditions on their bid to purchase a townhouse, so her offer was dismissed.
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2 _' ]% k! p+ s `Laas says she was in tears because of the experience. She has given up working with a real estate agent to look for a home. She says she's backed off the whole thing, but she keeps her eye open every now and then.! h8 x$ u9 I& l O9 l! q
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Forty-five-year-old Cheryl Daly is also having a tough time finding an affordable home for her 12-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter.- F+ {' A: ?3 c9 Z3 k
& G( Q) U8 L2 |. CShe left a 23-marriage and a 1,700-square-foot home last year. She works as an administrator and now rents a three-bedroom townhouse./ M2 u7 s) o+ F9 e% N
6 i9 p2 z6 c9 A1 {Back in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.0 E( H) x/ ~* P" t+ t' @2 H: z
! M x: H, s; o! @So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
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+ |2 Z/ j# j% {) G+ x. K3 X"The places, when they come up, if they're at a decent price, they're gone really quickly," she says, "so it's a matter of timing."
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7 |. w9 B" X3 o8 {Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.
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1 \ u7 O6 m$ V. J2 X' z0 P, RAn average single dwelling unit in Edmonton sold for $316, 480 in August this year. An average townhouse, which includes the price of duplexes, sold for $262,327 in the same month. Last year in August an average townhouse sold for $175,922.
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The president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
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% [0 D& o+ C1 k; T"It's definitely making people think about what their options are," Sarafinchan says. "They're having to look at things that maybe are not as what they would have termed as desirable.": P2 O4 x$ |0 V3 r9 o5 f8 p. r
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That may mean sellers are not as open to "conditions" on offers as they used to be -- such as a house inspection before the deal is finalized. |
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