 鲜花( 7)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
- P8 j4 t# i$ W2 D2 Q ^
, l7 h: E5 | c+ G6 L# B: \1 xThe 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 c/ b8 T2 d. o) [. _
1 @ N3 u9 `/ q ?$ PThe 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.
, E& h+ c" d- f2 z" x4 n( o4 i6 o! g) l1 c
Now CMHC has waded into the debate with its own forecast that despite the recent trend, home sale prices should edge up this year.
1 `0 G- H2 o) f8 M7 ~7 C
- F1 B% D; \( @8 ?! `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 $306,700.
% n/ L1 n4 d7 f
) v/ C7 L/ I0 H- \5 X- d1 ~4 {"High employment levels, rising incomes and low mortgage rates have continued to provide a solid foundation for healthy housing markets this year," said Bob Dugan. ' G6 x0 m( J M m& H
4 e2 B, [4 r( J, B+ ~5 b) j/ kHowever, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." ) i) J& J0 k. l, F/ P1 J
! A1 |* N. a+ o5 g$ |5 AIt says for the first time in seven years the number of new homes built across the country will dip below 200,000. ' L, M+ @% p5 {- o
J( B1 D2 {$ V4 f# Y$ b
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. . I8 K" P# `! p$ W+ `/ ]: n7 ]8 n5 u
: x: C! q5 n2 n f
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.
) M; l/ U- `# k
7 y0 c7 w$ S" _- `) dCMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
|