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House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
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- K; G: c. \- A' j: F. mThe Crown corporation warned that some moderation can be expected in the once red-hot housing sector for the rest of this year and into 2009.
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6 ?1 R2 @ D9 l2 E% tThe forecast comes as house prices have been falling nationally, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. Canada's largest housing markets have experienced prices declines from a year ago for four straight months, with each percentage drop bigger than the next.
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Now CMHC has waded into the debate with its own forecast that despite the recent trend, home sale prices should edge up this year.9 f+ w4 R9 {4 F. V
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It expects the average price of a home sold to rise to $306,500 from $305,707. By next year the average sale price is forecast to rise to $306,700., _9 M4 z$ ~; g4 T( o3 v
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"High employment levels, rising incomes and low mortgage rates have continued to provide a solid foundation for healthy housing markets this year," said Bob Dugan. 4 h0 O( R& L8 y: E" n, Q0 s
E. {5 @6 c5 u" eHowever, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." . p$ t- G9 I7 p
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It says for the first time in seven years the number of new homes built across the country will dip below 200,000. . m4 |4 s3 `& i, r6 P9 Z$ P
^1 y3 I, I3 |9 zThe agency is forecasting 212,188 starts for this year which will be a drop from the 228,343 homes built in 2007. By 2009, the forecast is for 177,975 new homes to be built. , e4 e+ T' x$ O3 C$ s
- j) z1 w7 Y# EThe prognosis is not much better for the sales of existing homes. After setting an all-time sales record of 523,701 transactions in 2007, sales are expected to drop to 452,225 in 2008 and 433,375 in 2009., R, b( N1 n5 Y1 c. o# @
- h' A1 `; m2 s0 nCMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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