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记者的观察
The realities of real estate+ y" ? f3 d& L7 ?' {
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
. `5 J' Q6 l9 S# rEDMONTON - 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.
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She 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.+ W. O1 b% D0 t
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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.4 a2 x: b. c* G. o8 _
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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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3 R5 z/ z: A4 N' J1 WLaas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.$ i# [/ A0 J5 [. y
6 O0 k$ Y, T, ^) t' ABut she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.0 {, J' Y. N5 b
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She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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# C, n8 m( w Y9 K# s" m) @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.* N5 e* m/ k0 e6 i% f. B
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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.
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+ _ @% Z0 |% [ n+ sForty-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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% E' b x. n' x$ B I5 V2 I) M' ]( Q- SShe 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.0 L" V: X. a" }. e$ N4 c5 a! D
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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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So 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."+ Y1 \+ [% G% k. W% k( [2 w! U
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Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.1 T) |+ O7 _) c H4 t; K6 O
' d- g# z* u% W9 u8 ^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 $175,922.3 s! B8 ?( f9 l. I- h
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The president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
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- u. ^5 G, Z' i4 U"It's definitely making people think about what their options are," Sarafinchan says. "They're having to look at things that maybe are not as what they would have termed as desirable."- y" a7 o0 T ], }$ t. G. H
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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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