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TORONTO — The latest Royal LePage report on Canadian real-estate shows average housing prices were up between 2% and 4% in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with the same time last year.

However, the same survey shows average prices for the three main categories of housing were down from the third quarter of 2012 — a period that included new mortgage rules that have discouraged many first-time buyers.

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The quarterly market update by the Toronto-based real estate marketing firm forecasts a brief, mild dip in sales volume in the first half of this year, but not a major downturn.

It says average prices for Canadian residential real-estate will rise a further 1% by the end of 2013, as some owners opt to delay selling their property until conditions improve.

“Our sturdy domestic economy and encouraging employment trends have emboldened sellers, and some have opted to let market conditions adjust before listing,” said Phil Soper, Royal LePage’s president and chief executive.