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记者的观察
The realities of real estate: t( d' S/ S" Y1 C
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Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 5 E8 ?, z+ y8 q$ W% E- y: |
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton.1 f( e- J5 M' ?2 o
! D% i, d; @9 g! |, x+ xThe 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.; n* H: l$ J* [0 }+ R% n
; I) m: {; Y O$ ~2 |/ kBut 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 G- T( x; U. }) T
5 x9 g+ f9 O6 z1 a* l" n"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 $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do.
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[/ F* Q: {: @+ S( F5 p% {But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.; V. S5 _3 X! b; R$ I8 e5 |% y
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She'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.: L! @4 }$ X; U L5 J3 N
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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.0 b. g/ ]! b4 j+ _9 S1 H7 b w0 f
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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.( r; P) S* m% n1 U% d7 x
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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 $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.
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So Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.
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"The places, when they come up, if they're at a decent price, they're gone really quickly," she says, "so it's a matter of timing.": F6 o5 f4 q3 v7 Q$ ]' d ~
& t8 m$ S! p8 eTime has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.
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0 t7 o8 a) J7 D* I9 T" d$ C; lAn 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 $175,922.
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, ~0 Z/ I: l. X b3 A$ c3 uThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people., g7 C: U, n5 \( ~% ]
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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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9 v* O& z6 m, s @- g0 Y. HThat 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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