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38 >> OUR HOUSE SUMMER 2017 DoMinion LEnDing CEntRES PHOTO CREDIT Dominion Lending Centres' Chief Economist, Dr. Sherry Cooper, probes the outlook for home buyers and sellers By Gord Hamilton C hange is coming to Canadian real estate markets with more moderate growth replacing the volatile price spikes that have characterized the hottest regions, says Dominion Lending Centres chief economist Dr. Sherry Cooper. She sees encouraging signs that the boom will not be followed by a bust. "it's a soft landing," she says. there are early signs of an upswing in the number of new listings in most Canadian real estate markets that is providing buyers with more choice, which Cooper sees as a sign that the real estate market is returning to more normal growth patterns. Her advice to sellers: the tide is turning. Don't wait any longer expecting prices to climb dramatically higher. Start making decisions to sell. For buyers, she says there is no need to panic that you are going to miss out. More supply is coming onto the market so don't get yourselves into competitive buying situations that could cause you to pay more than a property is worth. ontario's golden Horseshoe in particular witnessed a noticeable surge in new listings in the weeks leading up to the market-cooling measures announced by the ontario government on April 20. Cooper expects price increases to moderate in the second half of the year, dropping to five per cent or less in 2018. Cooper also only foresees a slight chance of a small increase in interest rates this year. "i don't think the Bank of Canada is going to hike interest rates until maybe the middle of next year," she says. Soft landing Coming (2) iStoCk TooLBoX DR. SHERRY CooPER is the chief economist at DLC and an award- winning authority on economics.