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记者的观察
The realities of real estate* \$ v% k1 k, s' n+ a
7 W/ N3 s3 C4 G* G9 ~% w6 _Published: Friday, October 06, 2006
/ G; N# c! [" c/ v# iEDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.
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, E% h, ~2 ]% H5 k* j2 @7 jThe 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta.$ B) h" U/ e, t' h& \( w& o# R0 }6 a
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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.
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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.5 z9 H0 k0 Y! c! g- G' N8 t
8 `) t+ B/ r. }( i+ j"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 $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
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But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
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/ k8 y" G2 b8 ]( D5 w. rShe's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."# q) `4 s0 o" y; J
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One house, the one she really wanted in the northwest neighbourhood of Calder, went on the market at 4 p.m. and had multiple offers by 6 p.m. so Laas walked away. In two other instances, other buyers had fewer conditions on their bid to purchase a townhouse, so her offer was dismissed.
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Laas says she was in tears because of the experience. She has given up working with a real estate agent to look for a home. She says she's backed off the whole thing, but she keeps her eye open every now and then.
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8 z6 h- s) f# v cForty-five-year-old Cheryl Daly is also having a tough time finding an affordable home for her 12-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter.8 | _% |$ G% n' o6 s+ v% Q \1 K
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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 $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.* x' x" l2 o* w6 W$ H: q1 `% ?
, F9 W) R c$ d8 pSo 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."% O! q& |4 Z' r+ ~/ J2 L: {! k/ {
: ^) j3 V2 T) u" N0 lTime has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.. c8 v* G1 X2 L0 ?. h, B) g, D7 j
( N1 B( c. ~) y9 ~' h7 |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.) A( ?2 A2 X- P% l
4 u8 S. I: {; K7 j- V& C ?: F) c9 s& S1 _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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4 W2 \: \6 x, [4 ~. n2 D& CThat 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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