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House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. 2 \3 o! k4 p6 {. D
8 t2 }' |/ s3 z) b+ t& v. W' cThe Crown corporation warned that some moderation can be expected in the once red-hot housing sector for the rest of this year and into 2009. / d0 Y; u9 N! L& T2 z, P% K" L
2 \9 M+ c5 z; R* B4 I) iThe forecast comes as house prices have been falling nationally, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. Canada's largest housing markets have experienced prices declines from a year ago for four straight months, with each percentage drop bigger than the next. 8 n: N0 Q# n$ {* g
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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.
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: E! H& l, F3 x; F. F! N5 B) wIt 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 $306,700.' x2 l; Y* r5 H3 B5 J/ g
4 F- ~ e3 `; O) B"High employment levels, rising incomes and low mortgage rates have continued to provide a solid foundation for healthy housing markets this year," said Bob Dugan.
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* M5 I! P+ V$ H' @3 q( I: C, [However, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." + X- r6 y! g! ]' W" {) C* F) ^
9 j) ]& R& R# }+ nIt says for the first time in seven years the number of new homes built across the country will dip below 200,000. 0 g' G- P7 M/ \% w# E
4 n8 g/ h( W7 g# l/ k: O ?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.
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2 M& x1 S/ |# \( k- a' cThe 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.
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* f% S. C* m) l2 Y* ~5 [CMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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