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记者的观察
The realities of real estate, ]7 n4 N3 Q( ^+ r
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
2 h$ ]. M3 z5 K9 w; KEDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.1 X' L3 A c* c5 Q' _3 g: z& N
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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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) j. n! D/ ?, K: y; ^# UShe 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 d' Z [! a. U" g- z
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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.$ X+ w3 d1 z" r- ?7 y' |/ U: T
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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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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.5 B. ]. ^( N! ~; d3 t
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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: A- G6 j' [9 ~# ?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.. _5 e. r7 I2 R+ _ u, Y' Z: F2 r
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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.1 ]& \8 T% H: w# S
4 M" N3 s5 q1 A& T# o# m+ LForty-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.' O' Y, B2 w5 j# I
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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./ A, [) _+ D, e5 A
* T" t" a! C; q |! ^) KSo 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.". y) i X* R: O/ a9 p
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Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.* M2 e5 F1 I) j4 r& a( j8 k7 W
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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 $175,922.
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/ {$ m7 C9 W! \# @6 z7 XThe 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."8 ~' @, ^% p: \' I5 i _- f+ h' G
) v/ D- F, h( ~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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