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Housing market conditions are improving more rapidly than expected with the average price for a home in B.C. now predicted to decline five percentage points less in 2009 than forecasted at the beginning of the year, the B.C. Real Estate Association said Tuesday.
"The imbalance between supply and demand was putting significant downward pressure on home prices," BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir said in an interview.
"[But] on the demand side, we`ve now seen three consecutive months (seasonally adjusted) of double-digit increases in home sales. And on the supply side, the number of homes for sale in Vancouver has declined for six consecutive months.
The imbalance has waned considerably." Muir said that he believes most of the decline in home prices has already occurred and that there`s little downward pressure on home prices in Victoria, Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. "There will be much better price stability, especially for the balance of the year."
As part of its Spring 2009 Housing Forecast, the BCREA reported that housing market conditions have improved more rapidly than expected. As a result, BCREA has revised its home price forecast upwards, reflecting greater price stability through the balance of the year.
The average residential price is now forecast to decline eight per cent to $420,600, instead of the 13-per-cent increase originally forecasted. The report said that residential sales will decline 12 per cent to 60,755 units this year, as a result of a weak first quarter.
However, stronger consumer demand is expected to continue for the balance of the year and through 2010. Residential sales in 2010 are forecast to climb 10 per cent to 66,740 units. Reasons for the change include affordability, with lower home prices and record low interest rates reducing the carrying cost of the average priced home by 24 per cent over the last year.
"First-time buyers are a stronger force in the marketplace than in the fall and winter months," added Muir.
Read the full article here.
"The imbalance between supply and demand was putting significant downward pressure on home prices," BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir said in an interview.
"[But] on the demand side, we`ve now seen three consecutive months (seasonally adjusted) of double-digit increases in home sales. And on the supply side, the number of homes for sale in Vancouver has declined for six consecutive months.
The imbalance has waned considerably." Muir said that he believes most of the decline in home prices has already occurred and that there`s little downward pressure on home prices in Victoria, Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. "There will be much better price stability, especially for the balance of the year."
As part of its Spring 2009 Housing Forecast, the BCREA reported that housing market conditions have improved more rapidly than expected. As a result, BCREA has revised its home price forecast upwards, reflecting greater price stability through the balance of the year.
The average residential price is now forecast to decline eight per cent to $420,600, instead of the 13-per-cent increase originally forecasted. The report said that residential sales will decline 12 per cent to 60,755 units this year, as a result of a weak first quarter.
However, stronger consumer demand is expected to continue for the balance of the year and through 2010. Residential sales in 2010 are forecast to climb 10 per cent to 66,740 units. Reasons for the change include affordability, with lower home prices and record low interest rates reducing the carrying cost of the average priced home by 24 per cent over the last year.
"First-time buyers are a stronger force in the marketplace than in the fall and winter months," added Muir.
Read the full article here.