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TORONTO – Canada’s housing boom will grind to a halt next year, stopped by price declines in the condominium-saturated markets of Toronto and Vancouver, according to a Reuters poll, raising the risk of a broader economic slowdown.

On a national basis, Canadian house prices are expected to rise 2.0% this year before stalling next year with a negligible 0.5% gain, according to median results of the poll, which was conducted last week.

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‘Home prices are overvalued by slightly under 10% nationwide (and) most of the overvaluation is concentrated in Toronto and Vancouver’

House prices have increased 37% since their trough in January 2009, The Canadian Real Estate Association index showed. All 15 respondents in the poll said the market was expensive, by varying degrees.

“Home prices are overvalued by slightly under 10% nationwide (and) most of the overvaluation is concentrated in Toronto and Vancouver,” said Mark Hopkins of Moody’s Analytics, citing a common concern about the two hottest urban markets.