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House prices are going to go up next year, albeit by a mere $200, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. 4 B1 h9 a3 o% f) ?4 e6 P
* k/ s& \" O$ x4 RThe 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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( G/ ~9 i* W3 l9 ]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. 3 [) l! h8 R6 c" i) H$ Y
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Now CMHC has waded into the debate with its own forecast that despite the recent trend, home sale prices should edge up this year.9 U4 o# [: @( {) L* ^+ L) R
" H$ O7 |7 i& J8 X' CIt 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 $306,700.
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"High employment levels, rising incomes and low mortgage rates have continued to provide a solid foundation for healthy housing markets this year," said Bob Dugan.
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$ G; @& L2 F: z$ ~1 K; THowever, CMHC is clearly predicting a pullback and titled its latest report, "Housing market starting to ease." ; W& L* o; ~) F9 }1 W+ I
% A; C* J4 Y3 A/ }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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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.
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. L7 p; x7 A+ B; R3 ZCMHC says those sales are "still strong" by historical standards. |
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