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记者的观察
The realities of real estate
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* T5 `, m0 H2 P" Q' w, tPublished: Friday, October 06, 2006
% `+ ^. n/ C& P0 B& K. {EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.* k, ^! i2 [2 F0 S6 h5 e
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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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" H7 W7 h# M6 u# n' uShe 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.
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But 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.. M X4 g7 p( m2 P2 X
& Z2 T: i" v4 J8 I9 u"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.' V+ U+ l. c' X# V% B" f h
) _/ w7 i. T4 C2 W4 ^' c% B, SBut she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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' q& B% t7 J+ ^% [+ r+ \She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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One 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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! g( V* q. W- q2 l! g6 y9 H7 lLaas 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.
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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.
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6 k& b5 F" E2 j5 _; O3 i! mShe 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.0 M: j2 ~' N" F3 A3 y( P
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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.
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9 F z! ^/ `; i! @# QSo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
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* \! p7 p' J% w/ h, }+ }"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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4 N: p, {2 B2 ]8 L8 }1 ?Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.1 Y1 g) t3 F8 f8 }( r
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An 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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, Y+ h- L. y: e4 O" gThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.5 Q( d, {& i; @/ _
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"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." Y, c* L( L6 v. g/ w
0 C/ p! [ o" W2 ]: n3 kThat 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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