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记者的观察
The realities of real estate
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+ b# Z+ J ^4 W0 UPublished: Friday, October 06, 2006
0 v+ y" e8 ]- M4 H5 qEDMONTON - 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.# u( _+ ]) c8 ]! E% U* G! J6 U3 u. ^$ X
& m$ Z" |6 j+ @2 F/ s9 F5 I9 TShe 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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$ i3 |0 [. I, _9 A7 P7 c3 uBut 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.' q6 b% f& ~( {% D5 h- q
3 [1 }3 D9 y- ] L: V"It absolutely scared me," she says. "I moved here for a house, and all of a sudden a townhouse went from $105,000 to $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."
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; k8 j" O) K$ f) }4 FLaas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.% z+ R0 h) L h r
7 l- M/ p+ i( p. J) J& n- O: L9 FBut she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.9 W2 s7 {5 N$ v% J6 |9 ~
( H- V8 K/ ?4 |1 u; b# ~+ ]She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."# F1 ^( c: o7 y' n0 d7 r2 e" x. d
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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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) Y8 ~( J; l" u( x% Q; ^# iLaas 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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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.2 s! r0 }3 G* U, B; S
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Back in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.! \9 s' m) Y0 x( L/ ?8 S
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So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.0 I8 x6 v- Z- y
1 u2 I4 h2 E8 ^1 P) `$ ^; ?"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.0 A% `8 ?* k) B
2 M$ @* B0 V7 v0 s/ UAn 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.
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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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9 ^9 g8 A8 c& ]/ C6 r! ?"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."- j5 U8 ~+ b/ T1 s0 O
. v" E4 \4 L# |/ QThat 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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