 鲜花( 7)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
: Z5 V2 }) o! j+ p V% A
9 v' }. m3 `# t! u" O7 ] gThe Crown corporation warned that some moderation can be expected in the once red-hot housing sector for the rest of this year and into 2009. 0 _0 f8 e. d% F" ?
" N5 W$ Z# N7 i1 c5 @8 v9 U
The 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.
$ T3 |2 ~, e( B# c. i6 @ L# w% F: }! c7 [$ H. l
Now CMHC has waded into the debate with its own forecast that despite the recent trend, home sale prices should edge up this year.4 B. P/ Y9 G6 B* R& c& P% D3 ]
8 Y9 z, m1 | c5 w* |" j
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.% z" a# a) o% z
) ^" ^4 G0 X* J; P, C7 s' a"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.
! {+ N1 \) K5 _% A
: q6 T4 B0 g" m% EHowever, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." 9 b( k5 R# \9 h" o, B
0 k* l/ \7 v7 h; J% |8 v
It says for the first time in seven years the number of new homes built across the country will dip below 200,000.
( {7 x% D2 T5 y( g
. b8 h6 q. a D0 ~# M' |1 Q+ ]The 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.
0 U! e ?+ G# a0 \: b
6 [7 E ?$ C3 ~( _$ `7 D- {* T! qThe 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./ F! Y1 R/ E- A( v L1 C; M
( L# Y3 G3 d1 D% G2 f; ]CMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
|