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TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian house prices are likely to double over the next 20 years, despite the downsizing of homes by seniors and a shrinking number of younger, first-time buyers, a report by CIBC World Markets said on Wednesday. . H* a. m5 [7 T3 e R
: |5 _( X+ A$ Q! D% B8 lFears of a house-price decline thanks to an aging population and other changing demographics are "highly exaggerated," Benjamin Tal, senior economist at CIBC World Markets, said in the report.2 q$ j9 y# S$ W/ Y5 G
"Despite downward pressure from demographic forces, on average we expect house prices in Canada to double in the next 20 years," he said.* q5 V6 w" W' p% o1 `7 X* R
- Q5 a$ z+ K2 e6 AThe report compares population growth between two cycles of housing prices, from 1987 to 2006 and from 2007 to 2026, using Statistics Canada's medium-growth, medium-immigration projection as a benchmark.7 p/ t- \8 I g# N* W- z9 Z
The impact of a forecast net decline of 167,000 first-time buyers, typically people aged 25 to 44, between 2007 and 2026, is "marginal, at best," Tal said.6 m# t2 D `: D% B' \6 X$ p
) e# `! T G* i* VHe added that this age group is by far the largest contributor to overall housing demand, accounting for almost 68 per cent of all home sales, so the modest downturn will not significantly affect housing demand.* |) { \5 i* S
The largest decline, of 2.5 million, is projected for the 45 to 54 age group, as many baby boomers move to the next age bracket. But the impact of this change is also expected to be limited because that age group accounts for only 12 per cent of total housing demand, the report said.
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+ _* e! l& V& S2 v, V [9 _The report predicts the moderate decline in housing demand will be partly offset by a strong increase in demand from the 55 to 74 age group, largely reflecting purchases of vacation and investment properties.
, z- D/ U! ~. f' k MTal said the Canadian market will face an extra supply of about 250,000 houses over the next twenty years, as older age groups liquidate and downsize and the number of first-time buyers eases. That translates into an average extra supply of 12,500 homes a year.
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However, the report suggests that builders will have to reduce new housing supply only moderately in order to eliminate any negative impact on prices.
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2 X# I% ?2 _8 ? g$ ^CIBC projects that the average real house price will mirror the performance of the past two decades. During the period between 1987 and 2007, Canada experienced a 3 percent annual increase in real home prices, the report said.1 @& L! t! t0 f; F( M, _8 l
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"Assuming a 2 percent annual inflation rate, this means that house prices in Canada are expected to double by 2026," said Tal. |
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