Fredericton condominium and bungalow prices rise as first-time buyers help
drive the market

- Royal LePage House Price Survey shows home values up more than 10 per

cent over 2008 -

FREDERICTON, Oct. 8 /CNW/ - The Royal LePage House Price Survey released today showed that average resale prices for standard condominiums and detached bungalows in Fredericton increased dramatically in year-over-year comparison.

Standard condominiums led the increase with a 13.3 per cent rise, to $145,000 , while bungalows were up 11.1 per cent to $180,000 . First-time buyers continued to drive the market for more reasonably priced housing, taking advantage of increased affordability due to low interest rates. This trend, coupled with older buyers looking to downsize to smaller homes, prompted standard two-storey properties to decline 2.4 per cent year-over-year, to $205,000 .

"In Q3 we saw a high level of resale volume due to increased affordability," said Lincoln Thompson , Broker/Owner, Royal Lepage Gardiner Realty, noting that the city's stable workforce didn't experience the same economic issues faced elsewhere. "Fredericton is a university, government and high tech city, as such we saw economic stability when compared to other parts of Canada ."

Fredericton's resale market mirrored the national trend which also saw buyers of more affordable homes driving the market through the beginning of 2009.

Overall Canada's housing market is on the road to recovery, but despite the strength of the market in the third quarter, giving the appearance of a surge in real estate activity, Royal LePage cautioned that sales are actually lagging approximately one month behind the typical seasonal pattern in year to date analysis.

"The economic recession interrupted the flow of the real estate cycle but it is essentially back on track," said Phil Soper , president and chief executive officer, Royal LePage Real Estate Services. "There is the illusion of a boom in the market, but in fact what we are experiencing is the end of a normal, short-term correction. Once housing supply returns to normal levels, we believe the economy will support low pricing growth into 2010."

About the Royal LePage Q3 House Price Survey

The Royal LePage House Price Survey is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind in Canada , with information on seven types of housing in over 250 neighbourhoods from coast to coast. This release references an abbreviated version of the survey, which highlights house price trends for the three most common types of housing in Canada in 80 communities across the country. A complete database of past and present surveys is available on the Royal LePage Web site at www.royallepage.ca. Current figures will be updated following the complete tabulation of the data for the third quarter. A printable version of the third quarter 2009 survey will be available online on November 6th, 2009 .

Housing values in the Royal LePage Survey are Royal LePage opinions of fair market value in each location, based on local data and market knowledge provided by Royal LePage residential real estate experts. Historical data is available for some areas back to the early 1970s.

About Royal LePage

Royal LePage is Canada's leading provider of franchise services to residential real estate brokerages, with a network of nearly 14,000 real estate professionals in over 600 locations across Canada . Royal LePage believes in the importance of giving back to the community and is the only Canadian real estate company to have its own charitable foundation. The Shelter Foundation is dedicated exclusively to funding women's shelters and violence prevention and education programs. Royal LePage is managed by Brookfield Real Estate Services, and is part of a brand family that includes Royal LePage, Johnston and Daniel, and La Capitale Real Estate Network. An affiliated company, Brookfield Real Estate Services Fund, is a TSX listed income trust, trading under the symbol "BRE.UN."

For more information visit www.royallepage.ca.

For further information: Jessica Culp, Fleishman-Hillard Canada, [phone]; Tammy Gilmer, Director, Public Relations and National Communications, Royal LePage Real Estate Services, [phone]