 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
记者的观察
The realities of real estate
( k' C" G4 }7 Q3 N2 {& Z+ v1 I4 v( d, S" w! u1 J( l
Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 , h! g! O) e5 O9 t
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.
% ^$ o; \" v8 H1 L% p& C, T( a) i; C$ f) m6 ^4 E& F$ y
The 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta.
8 J" \2 m! N: K2 W& ]* \
g& R+ X9 X. _, f( J! x- N5 x1 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.2 I2 |/ Q6 A/ n1 b5 P/ [# r2 ?
9 \1 |) c) x+ K7 Y
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.1 q% O6 a$ L9 n; Z" m7 l$ w+ G
. y& o- s- Q- P5 T( k
"It absolutely scared me," she says. "I moved here for a house, and all of a sudden a townhouse went from $105,000 to $155,000 and I'm going, 'Oh my gosh. I have to buy really quick.' I've seen it in Vancouver and now I'm starting to see it here and it's frustrating."
2 B. r! [% N$ M, W& n4 F3 Q
7 X6 s. H( D# }, z! E+ S0 ELaas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
' e0 `: i# A& S9 K1 e) i1 d& O" |3 k7 M- h) f9 C4 A2 n) |
But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.9 e k3 d; Z1 x k
9 z1 x1 { N, A: C$ kShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."5 d8 c9 U8 W9 q3 J, B- V
( a2 s. q, m' |! T8 b# D$ F3 w) S0 }9 A
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.; m. J6 q5 p+ |! z" Q1 K8 M
6 `( C* Z/ d( |* w1 x* g& DLaas 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.; I( S0 h$ n& S6 I n: Q ?
7 v8 c' x: N$ K$ oForty-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.
3 A5 x/ {/ u4 }$ E( \
8 @6 r4 j9 f" x/ M7 e- \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.0 m/ T# J& d. m, E' k$ p" U
( o% w2 ], O2 eBack 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.4 j! O- v7 s2 p8 x5 B
6 X0 w# \9 N, o
So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
5 R) e/ {* Z0 z* c2 [
" A- G. [1 j, d1 {, l"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."
2 G' R% {; q/ s& {. O' e3 E1 I5 y9 A. Y* I% K6 y( ]2 v5 x/ }9 w
Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.5 }9 q, |# ]0 k8 T
. `, _ z) I& ^. m: ?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.
$ i, d* d6 O2 r. r# A5 X' f2 l8 _
1 ` Z/ U1 o, \& U8 o8 DThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
- S5 F" Y, q9 B2 @4 |5 B
! P6 J( _$ u+ r3 e6 v w ^"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."
$ N: F( [; i0 t; o' D" |* T4 a0 n# ^/ n5 Q) `$ P. M9 Y! w
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. |
|