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记者的观察
The realities of real estate) k, x8 Z9 M( p( N
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 . |8 e, M1 {" {+ @3 Q8 g' d0 F1 L! r8 V
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.
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, A) X: s0 t$ a% k- a$ m% TThe 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.% R: b {' V* B m( G$ T+ L" u
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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.8 K, k, n- r8 f$ m- }6 X
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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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; S4 m, H+ |; C4 `( WLaas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.. d3 J& |0 |* t- j3 \9 r
% z2 ~3 c5 ]; T. l; p/ aShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."
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. D( Z" Z6 x9 K; i8 x9 o6 mOne house, the one she really wanted in the northwest neighbourhood of Calder, went on the market at 4 p.m. and had multiple offers by 6 p.m. so Laas walked away. In two other instances, other buyers had fewer conditions on their bid to purchase a townhouse, so her offer was dismissed.7 c! ?, `$ t& k- n! s, v% 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.* p! j h& D; ^+ B
r# a0 U* P% o3 kForty-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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4 u6 X8 A- P3 J0 p y7 }0 `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 $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.) d% p, X) ~- F9 `0 ]
6 R- f5 [) B! d$ I, d% ^8 ~7 \7 LSo 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."* p, L; x- k2 t% ^" Q$ l
K6 |0 [& ~2 y1 B5 uTime has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.
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$ u) a& u/ Q5 B* wAn 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 $175,922.
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The president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
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"It's definitely making people think about what their options are," Sarafinchan says. "They're having to look at things that maybe are not as what they would have termed as desirable."
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$ \% Q" U% Z8 N8 k5 j3 X& B8 zThat 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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