 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
记者的观察
The realities of real estate5 q8 X+ l' H$ M3 h- ~
k; o5 ~6 ^/ t& W5 {Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
% r o1 A. o2 n" m$ DEDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton./ x+ B1 j( h9 a- ~* {
h2 ^( k6 ?( F- G& H
The 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta.0 U, N4 ~. v, P# H
, h& R& P! D5 C& }: l2 u1 v9 F* q% S# KShe 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.6 U, a( \& j( B; X; p8 N
- I" Y9 D# v. |) y: [6 _' i: k+ x
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.
. v" p5 A: q2 {* T
+ {+ R9 A0 i; @/ i"It absolutely scared me," she says. "I moved here for a house, and all of a sudden a townhouse went from $105,000 to $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."
2 L) E7 x$ j R1 f$ Z/ \3 i& `
Laas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
1 W! G& r) U9 G( ?% J D* R+ L3 ^4 S- k( k, \9 G6 A+ d/ M( b- g
But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
4 _' P2 `8 G! |" [% p5 `
/ I6 e/ h& ?& f/ a/ m; WShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
: u1 X8 Z, p6 h+ `, |" D; j9 R" @8 y* M7 U- i3 i
One house, the one she really wanted in the northwest neighbourhood of Calder, went on the market at 4 p.m. and had multiple offers by 6 p.m. so Laas walked away. In two other instances, other buyers had fewer conditions on their bid to purchase a townhouse, so her offer was dismissed.
+ B1 d. l9 Q& r* t" E- `
" C$ Q! y. F! S% R% oLaas 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.
% X" R6 G" R7 \* N4 D
/ w# Q4 m; W8 Z$ ?6 w4 TForty-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.
- c: A( b9 T; }2 ]0 V4 o/ ?! ]( F
+ |% [5 s4 h# q2 [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. T$ B9 c5 M+ Q+ |; I/ k
) Y! R0 [6 f+ B/ oBack in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.' T2 a$ @7 o% W- v( o: f* u
5 e3 L6 V6 e6 i$ C: h; J/ r
So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.( w. v w0 t7 }) I: X4 e6 ~. w# d
! e! A$ n+ x/ 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."* Y, R, X, E" _& }
2 K5 ~3 q# { t7 W; @# _
Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.5 @; u$ n; A3 y8 ?! J
9 K+ p s4 m1 k, |9 L, }' ~, g5 ^* `- v
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.
: U2 t) S7 F0 B; j5 S! e1 e9 y8 Q* b
The president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
; n7 V n, ?- A# ]* U' Q; G9 P5 K H" _0 W4 L, ]
"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."
* w8 V7 j, X/ H3 r: x" t
5 L) P k4 Q i8 X2 O7 d: nThat 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. |
|