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记者的观察
The realities of real estate6 y$ q0 r8 F- A. c6 }
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
6 p, n3 L# w n' m9 \9 O2 HEDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.
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8 W0 _% x$ E3 q; f* e2 GThe 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta./ D( S! ?. z" Q( k5 Q7 P. g
3 K8 L. T+ e7 b, e' Q9 ~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.
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9 @( a' M6 u& T5 k$ Q# D# J& S% U1 dBut 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.( v( z) e% K5 J# @: ~ b8 x# O( D8 O' d
6 G/ M1 D- G' Z8 q( h% h' r"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."7 k! B2 k7 T3 `. ^. ?5 b; v' k
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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.' |: o6 S) k" f
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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6 Q2 ^9 ?+ @1 ~, \5 GShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned.". y! n8 o E5 ^1 H( l- o5 ~1 H0 L
9 v+ A: H/ B% ?: q3 t5 i8 QOne 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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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.# ]6 H5 v ^: y0 Z2 a' w9 P
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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.! W3 p, o P9 ~, D/ e4 l0 k
; y& H8 [+ s0 ?4 { c5 IShe 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.
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) `" W2 E1 Y8 i BBack in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.
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+ M, c% B4 A6 c: E$ p$ Q& T/ tSo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.0 q: v, b1 X6 }% }+ [; J) o
9 B O" V( n. [7 o4 A"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.
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8 L3 ]. [& p/ }$ f6 O6 ?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.; _0 n3 H7 B( z
' t( S" ~; N, H, gThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.8 w" _7 w* {* }" i
2 y, l6 s* e, O- z/ e"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."
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. n" B8 K: j9 V* Y8 W7 H+ s# G; aThat 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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