 鲜花( 17)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
New home prices weaken in Canada# d+ R; Q, r# C1 D9 _; j
Canwest News Service
+ p% K) j; J# W) t( D \2 v& b- oPublished: 7:48 am
; b+ M; L. Y" m& {2 EOTTAWA - Prices for new homes in Canada rose by 5.2 per cent in April from a year earlier, the slowest pace in more than two and a half years as a weakening Alberta market continued to pull down the national average, Statistics Canada said Wednesday., N, S+ X3 X7 n- u2 c! @) `, W
8 y; P9 F9 L1 A K J
April's rate was down from a 6.1 per cent year-on-year increase in March, the federal agency said. On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged in April from March.
9 s7 o# ]0 E; Y& U. O( X# h' Z V1 M6 y* L* H, d* |9 W' `
"This was the third consecutive month in which the increase has decelerated, and the slowest rate of growth since September 2005, when year-over-year prices rose by 4.9 per cent," it said.2 ?+ e9 b+ J( j. ]' ^9 E% v
% |* c7 { J/ ~0 O) d4 ?In contrast to strong markets in Saskatchewan and parts of Atlantic Canada, home prices in oil-rich Alberta showed more signs of cooling.
* ~: r. ^0 U( e& w# L/ g1 B
. I3 w3 o4 |$ S z$ U/ J"Edmonton and Calgary continued to experience slow market conditions," Statistics Canada said. "Competition among builders has resulted in lower prices being offered to prospective homebuyers."
" c# c) t# N0 P) S, k3 V X" {1 E' g: A8 a; q
Prices in Calgary edged up 2.5 per cent in April from a year earlier, compared to a 5.3 per cent year-over-year increase in March.
Y5 X5 o M# Z
- t5 I" c2 M1 a' g& OIn Edmonton, the year-on-year rate slowed to 8.1 per cent - the ninth straight month of decelerated growth. + P$ l9 B& i# Y$ H3 d2 @
9 Z# R# Q0 t, U- m- W- d3 j
Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan housing market continued to heat up in April. Prices in Saskatoon led the country for the 12th straight month, jumping 43.7 per cent from a year earlier - but down slightly from a 46.2 per cent year-on-year gain in March.
0 n+ a# j U/ v( c9 i% w9 H _' l8 A! K- n8 H" h- g! o! E5 K) C
Prices in Regina were up 34 per cent in April from the same time in 2007, compared to a 27.8 per year-on-year increase in March.
. Y. L* l" ~: r% o) ?$ \. j1 ?7 m% P4 \! H+ f0 h+ V
In Newfoundland and Labrador "a strengthening economy, coupled with increased material and labour costs, has contributed to record increases," Statistics Canada said.
7 y3 l# @0 f% A& ~( |. \' g b/ P6 f/ O
Prices in St. John's rose 16.3 per cent in April, up from the year-over-year increase of 12 per cent in March.$ g: `, G# }' d/ o6 f
- |5 Z% O* s2 t: q# ]Nova Scotia also saw strong gains, with prices in Halifax increasing 11.3 per cent from a year earlier, although that was down slightly from a record year-on-year gain 12.8 per cent in March.5 D! B" r+ A2 a1 T( U' v/ D
4 T3 l- Z8 i! D+ M$ G+ I"The report adds to the growing body of evidence that indicates that the Canadian housing sector may be coming off the boil," said Millan Mulraine, economics strategist at TD Securities.) Z% f" p. W+ j# g2 B( T+ v
2 F( u! e0 a( g3 \"Similar behaviour has also been observed in the price of existing homes. However, it is important to note that the Canadian housing sector remains in reasonable shape and a U.S.-style correction in home prices remains highly unlikely."$ E a# |" x4 `( \4 i
7 x" e0 B# }" e3 W+ [. o) d: @6 {: l! ?; L! g L! \
; H3 I/ ?+ C4 [6 S7 R* p; x, t# `& ?) C+ p5 C5 ?- j
© Canwest News Service 2008 |
|