 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
记者的观察
The realities of real estate
. D5 U1 n- s' z+ w% n/ C1 ~4 r: w0 c c3 A! X
Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 " M+ |6 V& O7 x8 c& T
EDMONTON - With her toolbox in hand and overalls on, newcomer Lisa Laas feels she can conquer the plumbing world in Edmonton., U% W! Y% k+ R' X: |
+ Z( s3 Z% O+ }5 d% l; a5 i: oThe 29-year-old plumber from Vancouver had no problem finding work in Edmonton with trades people high in demand in Alberta., Z8 V, z6 [0 |9 ^' r3 @, l K0 |* I
" s; \8 n/ Z/ ~
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.
$ s+ R& X% Y! Y8 [2 m6 w) [
# {, \' Y. v. S0 y: A- WBut 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.0 h4 D* w# W9 l$ V9 S7 g# ^
+ w# O' Z& _6 g4 C9 X4 o5 b"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 I2 E' i* ?2 g- y7 @" _9 [
5 C2 h8 z( C. A2 x2 \
Laas started looking in February. She had hoped to buy a house for $160,000, but soon realized she had to change her plans. A townhouse would have to do./ o( Q" F; c# y
0 @8 }) y, s5 _' ]But she has lost out on four places since beginning her search for a house.
( q" _4 |7 M. K3 z* [+ ?0 S$ i* i% p {3 T
She's been outbidded, "out-offered" and "outconditioned."8 o# [" k. S( ~4 g6 N; [
% E; D+ m, x. g. B: i% l9 H
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./ ^- d& X9 G x
; o5 B5 K, \/ M [& E
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.
1 s1 D. e4 k3 Q7 K2 T
5 d- |9 h. p- H0 R) N. I5 ZForty-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.
/ q1 @0 d4 l' p% b- n7 n; r" F/ Y: k: k( j- I C
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.
) N. N5 a. V1 D6 U
( s- i/ e+ S( C; xBack in April, she started looking for a home, something in the $170,000 range. "I would like to have a half duplex even, but with the prices and with my status, I know that's not realistic," she says.
0 `4 o% j0 p! V
2 Z b2 H/ ]$ o# R4 K0 w0 ySo Daly has been checking out townhouses, but even that has been difficult for her.; P s( _) ]/ G& `6 W* z
, x& |% O ?0 b0 n: {5 G"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.". i7 s" \. T* }
/ p' U# R7 H6 f3 N) Q i) B
Time has not been her friend. Every month the prices of homes in Edmonton climb higher.
. o" s, O/ u( L& [- u* e
3 D% X1 ~. |" w/ s2 e: y c: uAn 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 $175,922.5 D7 U# f3 O- |4 v1 r
$ b _6 j1 ~4 D, q# M3 jThe president of the Edmonton Real Estate Board, Madeline Sarafinchan, says the hot market is tough for first-time homeowners and single people.
8 m+ I6 E% v; [) W4 T2 W7 F1 _* P+ r8 R3 }
"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."
* H4 g% r6 K" C; V
6 g: ]( @- s7 ]9 t3 h+ K& [1 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. |
|