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记者的观察
The realities of real estate+ n: Y- \+ j k7 t5 [: u
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
/ G$ b) J, \1 k! X1 i6 j: F+ ~EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.' y. L( ?: R/ M+ f9 K
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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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9 {( w) R3 N' f4 `. wShe 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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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.
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# a. |; A! k% U9 `2 r"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."' L6 [0 g! u( n4 L7 \! z2 `
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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.. ~) p. }& N2 s' W9 k
" N6 G: J+ G/ WBut she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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0 ^) z% ?2 S1 R# X% o4 O) e* VShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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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.( B+ S( X* S' ~: h' J% _' q4 X
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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.9 N/ t E2 S: d- D
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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.! F& b/ `! F+ Z/ 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.& ?6 s2 b1 c) x, ?+ G; A& P5 i% ^, M
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Back in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.& |( @" Q. _! [$ U* W
3 p) g" v& b; f% t* L! ?" FSo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
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) t9 K V" m% r: }# e! X5 q% s4 s"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."+ c: T9 @1 p" f& p' n; n$ _
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Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.( ^8 O6 V R& M4 D% c8 i/ V
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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 $175,922.
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+ A; J% |$ a# M, ^, }0 `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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"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."
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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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