 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Ron Chalmers, The Edmonton Journal7 p3 i8 y9 n) P1 z. {+ h
Published: Tuesday, April 03, 2007( J8 v; }' e9 [: E' n7 E9 m6 p
# P! e2 g+ t6 A9 t0 KEDMONTON - Most Albertans think this is a bad time to buy a house -- but a good time to buy major household items.' R' C, T) Q$ L
& t0 e6 V1 m7 f( l0 aLeger Marketing surveyed 900 Alberta consumers for PricewaterhouseCoopers, in February, asking about the economy.
; [8 \5 ]' S" w( F" y+ W1 d, @( J z @2 t) ~* C* {% w3 S
Responses were compiled on a 200-point scale, with scores above 100 indicating optimism that conditions are good or will improve, and lower scores revealing pessimism that conditions are bad or will worsen.
: H. m. T2 f# C" b. n9 O2 y/ y
& c! Y o% T) B4 K! gIs this a good time to buy a house in Alberta?9 y* K6 Y8 o6 n) W! \
/ u7 n5 Y8 s0 M W
No, not according to the sample's composite score of 71, showing significant doubt.
2 i6 L; |* i' D7 |5 E4 F6 A9 `9 O% B/ r7 A7 u# P7 w
Leger's report noted "the relatively pessimistic sentiment regarding interest rates, combined with the fact that the housing market in Alberta has boomed over the last two years."
1 v( j( f: i$ f4 K. N \0 H4 V3 r+ d" G4 o+ s' J+ g/ {
When asked specifically about interest rates, the sample scored 66, with a widely-shared belief that rates will rise.4 t3 y9 {( H/ X% }2 N
% r3 |; J l7 Y2 }" X cA question about household incomes drew a score of 141, as most people expected incomes to rise.
' r; n8 i% I& l+ B# e( z
: |# i) {* L0 ^ kThe sample scored 161 -- overwhelmingly affirmative -- when asked whether this is a good time to buy major household items "reflecting the fact that many Albertans are experiencing unprecedented levels of disposable income," the report said.5 @, o8 K5 W u7 E# p# t; X/ j* L
4 O s" @% P/ T/ _6 V" w0 u. A
The prospect for future unemployment was highly optimistic at 127 -- although it's hard to imagine how unemployment could fall any lower.7 p2 e4 R, D$ G' m$ Q4 N( ~' C& K3 d( F
- O& J1 U5 }# N( O
A related online survey of 420 Alberta business leaders similarly found optimism about fiscal conditions, current and future business conditions, and future unemployment -- all pushed by "the hot Alberta economy," the Leger report said.
: u# D& S: O8 z! M$ \+ f) D1 I/ c% `4 l3 c, `6 O* K" {0 Z1 y3 y
Among those several measures, it found that fiscal expectations were the least positive, "which may be attributed in part to the fact that Alberta has a new premier in place, creating uncertainty in relation to fiscal conditions if compared to the previous Klein administration."9 `# ?+ p8 d* Q
0 C3 U' S$ P4 ]! J( t+ ?+ \+ U1 ]
The business sample, like the consumer sample, expected interest rates to rise.
- [2 Q7 ^ W$ n& I5 S+ B2 L+ @4 f) @9 t P9 c
Barry James, PricewaterhouseCoopers' managing partner in Edmonton, urged borrowers to consider the risk of higher rates.
: ? V) T4 W+ \" ~0 s1 W ]& B2 \- f
"If you're going to make a large spend, ask yourself what one or two or three more points would cost," he suggested. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-4-3 06:55
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-4-4 14:25
晕啊~~我看晕了~~~
