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记者的观察
The realities of real estate. ~5 T+ R1 o% D4 X3 |4 `* J, Q
) t1 `' R9 U2 |, [- hPublished: Friday, October 06, 2006 " j/ V5 P, k2 Y. a* f% T8 N( F
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.
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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.) S3 \9 c9 b X7 a
* z e- c8 V. w! k9 {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.2 ]- R# V9 a m7 v0 Q
: E6 u6 E2 s; I# J4 A+ f) iBut 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 $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."! G4 ~: ?; o$ s+ l- F. \( W; M
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Laas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.4 U4 U9 K8 x$ K# y* R# T& c; c
4 j3 }. f3 [3 l6 w( W ^But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house." h/ ]6 Y$ N/ m, Z
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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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. B1 E1 \! I' I8 y" H6 pLaas 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.' V3 C3 K% D" [4 b$ A8 S5 n/ c
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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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She 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.+ c [4 `; g0 `) ]
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Back in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says./ J" v7 N. o9 U+ b( V9 c
7 @+ N# c0 a! QSo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.6 E* c( [& M8 |5 w$ @0 {
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"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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Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.* N0 C7 T0 M0 O2 T
. G! Y; c; A S8 tAn 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 $175,922.* Z7 Y" A) I% q1 I9 y: ^) R+ Z0 @
4 o) E6 m; O( I; G( HThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.- r: s& L" k; f6 x. ]3 x8 F
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"It's definitely making people think about what their options are," Sarafinchan says. "They're having to look at things that maybe are not as what they would have termed as desirable."3 j0 S* N1 p$ x6 e) ~, B5 @ \0 d
: f/ k0 u9 {2 P( yThat 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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