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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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/ Q! M, d, [, X' R" H4 QThe 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.
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' g6 g' S. E8 RNow 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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5 L# G% c5 {: Y# |2 b" y* ~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. / k% F# e' o7 |0 J
% h2 Z, y6 m, w! E4 V: J) \However, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease."
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- G v; t0 V @! [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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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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" q# N |' a# j; l+ dThe 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 2009.5 T, g- Y( G% J8 u9 c' s1 q4 t( u
/ Z M- h7 n' y( C- YCMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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