If you’re thinking of moving to Canada or if you’re looking for a second home or investment property, is it a good time to buy?

В Британской Колумбии, the B.C. Ассоциация недвижимости (BCREA) is forecasting that residential sales prices will decline 13 процентов в 2009, with the majority of the drop to occur between now and the summer.

In the Canadian real estate market по всей стране, housing prices are still expected to fall, хотя и не так круто, как в B.C. Согласно Канадской ипотечной и жилищной корпорации, average prices are expected to decline approximately 5.2 percent in 2009, в то время как в 2010, цены будут выравниваться, seeing little change from 2009.

Однако, in an interview with the Vancouver Sun, BCREA chief economist Cameron Muir said, “If you compare today versus a year ago, investing in real estate is more attractive than it was then.”

Он продолжал говорить, что, due both to falling prices and lower interest rates, “For both investors and home buyers, ваш mortgage payment would be several hundred dollars less than a year ago.”

Фото © Carolyn B. Хеллер