 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Ron Chalmers, The Edmonton Journal8 b8 c. k* w$ @3 N" x2 V( Z
Published: Tuesday, April 03, 20075 z" Q3 K# K* y- y5 m' O6 g
+ |- m. _/ R% f8 |- B) ?EDMONTON - Most Albertans think this is a bad time to buy a house -- but a good time to buy major household items.
% ^( b6 I. s. G8 L' p( }+ w5 H( a; i
Leger Marketing surveyed 900 Alberta consumers for PricewaterhouseCoopers, in February, asking about the economy.
: D) R g A; r. m Y0 m+ e$ x' o% c& \$ J! f" }1 n+ o
Responses were compiled on a 200-point scale, with scores above 100 indicating optimism that conditions are good or will improve, and lower scores revealing pessimism that conditions are bad or will worsen.! _* r( J+ D+ @ ^0 F5 x) _; B
& W0 v: [/ j$ c9 e" \" _% a! U2 |Is this a good time to buy a house in Alberta?
6 P1 l0 C, K/ H! u6 L( U# a" _! o1 A( L1 @! |: ?; m! o, h
No, not according to the sample's composite score of 71, showing significant doubt.
% a( l- h& I" K( [- V
& R) d5 L/ X! CLeger's report noted "the relatively pessimistic sentiment regarding interest rates, combined with the fact that the housing market in Alberta has boomed over the last two years."
, K ?! d ^3 t/ E% I" v" [$ z0 ^ y3 i1 ~
When asked specifically about interest rates, the sample scored 66, with a widely-shared belief that rates will rise.
7 k. l* p0 ~0 R7 _: u5 p( l! U7 A. k
A question about household incomes drew a score of 141, as most people expected incomes to rise.4 F, [5 L$ D2 Y$ K' Z
! H1 g9 x' E$ iThe sample scored 161 -- overwhelmingly affirmative -- when asked whether this is a good time to buy major household items "reflecting the fact that many Albertans are experiencing unprecedented levels of disposable income," the report said.# j0 J6 U" ]- o
* \" ~7 E- k: v8 N, P9 VThe prospect for future unemployment was highly optimistic at 127 -- although it's hard to imagine how unemployment could fall any lower.$ {* K1 O4 ]) {; \' S o- Z8 ?
) V1 p4 a( v$ `3 VA related online survey of 420 Alberta business leaders similarly found optimism about fiscal conditions, current and future business conditions, and future unemployment -- all pushed by "the hot Alberta economy," the Leger report said.
& D2 V6 Q- F* }6 W/ k! w3 O" L9 j
Among those several measures, it found that fiscal expectations were the least positive, "which may be attributed in part to the fact that Alberta has a new premier in place, creating uncertainty in relation to fiscal conditions if compared to the previous Klein administration."
% U9 P" F; x. h# L% R% u+ _- e0 W
) K8 o9 Z, [: |2 @" [& N! uThe business sample, like the consumer sample, expected interest rates to rise.# Q7 w7 R1 l( L) [1 d1 l! w1 J
9 V. x8 i% b% F2 w; i4 x2 a3 Q
Barry James, PricewaterhouseCoopers' managing partner in Edmonton, urged borrowers to consider the risk of higher rates.7 Q2 w& u0 d" x% S
; u! J8 P/ V0 y7 |6 G& J
"If you're going to make a large spend, ask yourself what one or two or three more points would cost," he suggested. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-4-3 06:55
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-4-4 14:25
晕啊~~我看晕了~~~
