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记者的观察
The realities of real estate. Q, M5 m: b5 D8 R: y6 ^" C
0 F* k0 M( G- A4 f. vPublished: Friday, October 06, 2006 ( n6 j: Q9 P1 T. Y+ g+ W- [4 Y- Z
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.. r. H. T! I! B, M" @
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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.8 h s) V" }5 M9 Y6 Z! e9 t
/ E# @& `; Q* M$ U8 l1 EShe 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.7 g* `: q8 I8 {
# x8 ?% z4 M- {+ P7 \# T$ XBut 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 $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."
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5 h# C( T o$ k( W$ g. Q& nLaas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.2 N+ f+ [* L1 } L3 V3 K( X! X2 ^& |
1 g" S$ k/ ^$ X2 p+ G$ J( R* G. T: BBut she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.! r8 G% M; r8 z
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She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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- t* J& K% y) o* D- k8 F8 TOne 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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4 e( r$ }: [2 |9 |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.
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- N: \# c/ I$ |" xForty-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.
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Back in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.
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8 P. s' u' `6 R+ ~- ~* R) o2 ^So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.+ C5 a$ y9 p( C
$ i$ R+ J8 C+ J, i6 R( V"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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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.. Y) i. \1 N" U! E& ?) \- C
# Z2 B* U0 }, x2 v9 PThe 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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"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."% l" M( w! @: b) Y# U6 Q
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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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