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记者的观察
The realities of real estate" q1 p1 `) b8 V$ Z6 ?" ]5 b P9 |
* N9 |# A. Z4 N3 ~5 `Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
8 {& U2 M+ }- N$ W1 J4 aEDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.2 U) c( V4 R& Z/ L
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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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% Q, \) A- q7 f# S$ u2 G' v* OShe 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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3 D8 p) \) b& B3 _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.
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) y% z/ ^, Z; H; A% F* c7 a"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.", B0 j2 I& O6 ~% a( A
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Laas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.; T* Q$ T# Y: l/ d9 w3 u
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She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."6 R1 B% {3 R4 s* D: X
7 A8 h4 `$ J0 dOne 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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# }0 {! q1 Z3 W& y( t7 R4 c$ E% K3 O) zLaas 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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, j9 r" t. R+ L( u: D s/ [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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- H7 b Q. E" J9 ~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.( P; u& ^9 `" m% b( H0 X
" [) P, a! s' m( d3 JBack in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.% H* f0 G6 q1 o( j. U# C
. Y) _) U7 | V( Y$ qSo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
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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."8 b* W8 C, c! P# g$ [0 v# F
7 K# ]* e _% h' A- f0 C- QTime has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.: T! W1 j% O4 k8 |
, s3 }5 q ~8 e' V& bAn 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 $175,922.1 V( y; ?, K0 [3 j6 [5 }, W1 `- T
3 }, G& z8 R$ L1 _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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' m3 y0 Z' u% a2 D"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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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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