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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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The 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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1 e- X6 c0 N! f) S) JThe 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.8 |/ B, L, X- {/ J w- T* C7 F
) { E2 q D9 ^, R+ {2 yIt 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 $306,700.
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"High employment levels, rising incomes and low mortgage rates have continued to provide a solid foundation for healthy housing markets this year," said Bob Dugan.
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( a: B# |$ b4 [, p8 `% l s4 LHowever, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." . _: \1 ^5 w$ B6 s9 F8 z+ E8 v
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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. 2 U r: [4 c6 d0 _; L
# S6 a; d* r( y) a0 tThe 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. + X# H* n/ W7 i* E$ I
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The 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.* `- ^0 ^. R! U* Z/ x6 o9 _
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CMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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