There's never been a time in my lifetime that I can recall there being so much demand for employees in all different lines of work. Even places that used to be tough to break into, like the high-paying union jobs with the transit buses, are now posting signs recruiting new employees.
Fast food places are offering better wages in many cases--and medical and dental benefits.
Problem is, you have to live somewhere. Real estate is insane right now, and of course that also then drives rent up.
Recently, the local paper has been publishing several stories about this situation. A week or so ago, the front page showed the cheapest single family home for sale in the area--325 thousand for an 860 square foot house--one bathroom, two bedrooms in a sketchy part of town backing onto a railway.
Then a story that the average price last month for a single family home was 570 thousand for the second month in a row--and yes, our dollar isn't worth as much as the american, but at about 94 cents U.S., it's still pricey.
It's not just a few overpriced millionaire's houses that are driving the average up; the "median" price last month was well over 500 grand as well.
Then this weekend a story that the two highest-priced houses currently on the market in the whole country are here in Victoria, at 28.5 and 20 milllion respectively.
I guess my kids will either be living with us until they're 35 or moving to Saskatchewan...
3 comments:
Geez! That's EXPENSIVE to say the least! Rent here has gone up...I'm paying total about $650/month for a one bedroom apartment here, including everything, which is unheard of generally in Alabama. That sucks. I hope it goes down by the time I get finished with school.
As for jobs, I know there is a huge swell in the market for jobs in education, and I'm told this is due to the fact that the baby boomers are all retiring right about now.
I know. The housing market is horrendous. The only houses I could afford right now are houses I would never in a million years buy. And even if you can afford to buy a house, good luck paying the taxes.
Gah, sounds like Seattle. 500 thousand is the median here too. I bought a condominium at a great time, it's price has shot up, but I can't sell it and afford another place in Seattle, thus I am stuck where I am. :p
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