 鲜花( 17)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
New home prices weaken in Canada
`" z6 U: X$ f( _Canwest News Service# \. S( k9 H, r
Published: 7:48 am, _& J: n3 l6 G
OTTAWA - 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.
5 X: o7 z5 h5 f- i! O( @7 Y
9 _4 o! M+ o8 |- f0 D$ gApril'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.3 N8 M( |7 E6 m) I6 P! W0 g
% p+ {, T8 a4 S* j
"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.
/ m; @% P. s1 Q8 L& a8 o, C8 D
* ?$ W' i+ a7 I: B, Y# S5 X cIn contrast to strong markets in Saskatchewan and parts of Atlantic Canada, home prices in oil-rich Alberta showed more signs of cooling.
8 N9 s( t/ f2 j) {, E( o
8 s, W/ y4 s j( H; L, C"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."
0 B; e+ |9 o' ^& Z' t. ^. [. c7 T6 O8 q" S% d
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.
; x- D& j) ~+ U \" @- z$ T
$ h/ ?2 A, r% } U5 \7 G: K. vIn Edmonton, the year-on-year rate slowed to 8.1 per cent - the ninth straight month of decelerated growth. # m6 {5 k' `+ Z9 `7 c+ q& {# R' b
; ]& ^& T' k3 O, ]! v9 o9 D
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 T$ `) X7 R! B+ B
1 `7 C% w4 I* k! r4 E
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.1 E. e, L% ?' N6 U
! @1 {- b+ {; [/ P
In Newfoundland and Labrador "a strengthening economy, coupled with increased material and labour costs, has contributed to record increases," Statistics Canada said.
+ w% y2 l, ]$ {! I& s' T3 H. O
' I( `1 Q+ m" A* qPrices in St. John's rose 16.3 per cent in April, up from the year-over-year increase of 12 per cent in March.6 Z: |1 X z. z, h" Y( |! V
- J `; t, ?9 E; yNova 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.& Q E# d$ g$ i
/ {3 F" ]* E M, M, b8 ]- P% F
"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.; R, C' x2 M4 T0 I0 h
' o$ s; ]9 D9 S; n0 h
"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."
% F: X. P" ^, E0 B5 H: @
f$ K. K) g! B5 l9 `+ I- n
3 a8 [9 a- W! n8 Z. }+ X
. N3 _0 S5 R9 ?5 z4 p0 X6 ?3 I" j+ @) s6 g
© Canwest News Service 2008 |
|