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House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
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: P+ _) o( z; A7 _5 \9 ~4 _The Crown corporation warned that some moderation can be expected in the once red-hot housing sector for the rest of this year and into 2009.
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The forecast comes as house prices have been falling nationally, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. Canada's largest housing markets have experienced prices declines from a year ago for four straight months, with each percentage drop bigger than the next. 7 j0 J/ t& i5 d" T& k1 z0 V
9 E8 {7 N9 i- jNow CMHC has waded into the debate with its own forecast that despite the recent trend, home sale prices should edge up this year.# P. b, X$ o. ?
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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.
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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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However, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." + E. `7 L/ R* H- }
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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.
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0 {5 S2 G% o' |) ]/ w3 SThe 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. . M: a& E! V" f2 c( W) P: C
# m, N4 |9 }; ^3 z( [6 uThe 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. A: ?0 a; c* E5 K
. d; u J/ a9 |; d4 C* U U1 WCMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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