Guy at the open house insisted the neighborhood was 'up and coming' for 15 years

I went to check out a listing in the north end near Clareview last weekend, nothing fancy just a 3 bed bungalow. There was this older dude chatting up potential buyers, straight up said the area was 'starting to turn around' and would be prime real estate in 5 years. I've been hearing that exact same line about that pocket of Edmonton since I moved here in 2018. He was pointing at a new convenience store like it was proof of a boom, meanwhile the school down the street has been on the closure watchlist for 2 years. Felt like he was reading from a rehearsed script instead of being real about the traffic or the bus routes that barely run. Has anyone else run into agents who hype up a neighborhood that's been on the edge of 'gentrifying' for a decade?

2 comments

2 Comments

jenny58014d ago

Up and coming" always means "we're hoping it works out eventually." Check the crime stats instead.

the_beth14d ago

Honestly, Jenny, you're not wrong at all. I've seen so many neighborhoods get that "up and coming" label slapped on them, and it's basically a gamble whether it'll actually happen or just push rents up while nothing else changes. It's rough because you want to be hopeful for a place, but the reality is that crime stats and basic services matter way more than a trendy name. I've watched friends move into those areas and struggle with the same issues years later, so your skepticism feels really valid. It's just disappointing how often "potential" is used to sell people on a future that never quite arrives.