Frog and Scorpion

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" - Upton Sinclair

And yet, people expect realtors to give a ‘fair’, ‘balanced’ or unbiased perspective on the current market situation. It just can’t happen. It’s not unlike the old fable of Frog and Scorpion. No matter what the ‘realtor’ says, his or her motive is only one- to make the sale. And you can’t blame them. To not sell would mean to go out and look for another calling. So beware of the advice you get from those whose only interest is to sell more houses for commission.

On the market front, things are going almost as per the expectations. Demand and supply effect is now showing up in the statistical metrics for prices. Prices have resumed their fall once again, at least in Calgary and in Edmonton condos. Even though almost anyone on street could attest that prices through out 2008 have been lower than in last few months of 2007.

After all, what would you expect with inventory close to all time highs, anemic sales volumes, rising inflation and banks about to unleash a wave of interest rate hikes?

For those who are planning to buy, there's just one advice- WAIT. Renting is still a lot cheaper than buying and prices are expected to decline to get them in line with the historical trends. Read through the posts and comments on this blog and other places as well to make a well informed decision. Remember, mainstream media will mostly rehash the press releases of the realtors without an iota of original research or analysis.

My apologies for the less than frequent posting, but I’ve been busy with a new project and taking time off to enjoy the weather.