THE HOUSING MARKET IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING TOWARDS RECOVERY IN 2018, BUT CHALLENGES REMAIN.

Housing market conditions are expected to remain relatively unchanged in 2018, as the impact of higher lending rates and stricter lending criteria are offset by modest improvements in the economic climate. Recent changes may have prolonged the recovery period in our market, but it is not expected to completely derail the transition. The path to recovery is expected to be bumpy, as the market adjusts to a new normal. We are entering 2018 with elevated supply levels and an environment of rising rates paired with stricter lending criteria. However, the improving economy generated modest job growth and net migration last year, with expectations of further improvements into 2018.

The opposing impacts of the changes in the lending environment and economic gains are expected to cause adjustments in demand/supply balances based on price range and product type, creating pockets of over/under supply and generating different paths of price recovery. Overall, it is expected to generate conditions comparable to 2017 and the dynamics within each sector of the market will vary.

Minimal changes in sales activity are expected to be met with easing new listings for some property types, limiting the upward pressure on supply. This should help support more balanced conditions, preventing widespread benchmark price declines. More balanced market conditions will be led by the attached and detached sectors of the market, while the apartment sector will continue to struggle with excess inventory in 2018. Prices will likely continue to face some downward pressure in the apartment sector, with stabilization not expected until the latter portion of the year.

The attached sector may benefit from changes in distribution, as some demand shifts from the detached sector to the attached sector of the market, supporting modest price gains of 0.38 per cent. Easing demand in the detached sector is expected to be met with easing listings, supporting overall stability in pricing.

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正值冬天，家里的取暖系统应该早就启动了，各样的取暖设备纷纷出炉。这时，确认家里的烟雾警报器运作无误是非常重要的，烟雾报警器是防止家庭发生火灾的重要防御措施。 全国消防协会的统计数据显示，近三分之二的家庭火灾死亡事故发生在没有装烟雾探测器或是烟雾探测器无法工作或没电池的情况下。大多数建筑法规都要求在所有住宅结构中安装烟雾探测器，减少与火灾和烟雾有关的死亡人数。房主应向当地公共安全办公室或消防部门查询有关这些要求的具体信息。 居家房屋，烟雾警报器安装的位置是最关键的！烟雾报警器应该安装在每间卧室，每个睡眠区域之外，以及家中的每一层楼。 警报器应该安装在高处的墙上或天花板上。安装警报器时必须切实按照制造商的安装说明进行安装，以确保烟雾报警器能正常使用。有的挑高的房子，天花板很高，顶部会有死角的空间；在这些情况下，烟雾警报器必须放置在距离天花板4英寸的位置，但不能距离天花板超过3英尺的位置，否则警报器侦测不到，容易失去灭火或逃跑的先机。

如果要安装在靠近厨房的区域，可以使用带有"安静按钮"的检测器，可以用来消除烹饪烟雾或蒸汽触发的滋扰警报声。或者，考虑在厨房附近安装光电警报器，这不会由于烹饪而不停的触发警报。不管使用哪种类型的电源，切勿卸下本机的电池以免警报器误判或没发出警报声。 烟雾报警技术主要有两种：电离和光电。根据美国国家消防协会的报告，电离警报对火焰响应更为敏感，而光电警报对闷燃火灾更敏感。为了获得最全面的保护，应该同时安装这两种警报器，或是安装二合一的警报器。 警报器安装以后，也不能放任不管，还是要勤快的每个月测试一下每个警报器是否有正常工作。例如，在每月的第一天或最后一天在日程表中提醒一下自己，这是很有帮助的。每个警报器上都有一个测试按钮，按下的时候会发出一两声警报。任何不能响的警报器都应该更换电池。如果测试按钮出现故障，请立即更换整个警报器。 每年至少更换一次电池。按照通常的经验法则，更换的时间最好是在秋季或春季转换为夏令时间或从夏令时改回正常时。请记住，虽然有些警报器现在用可以使用10年以上的锂电池，无需使用新电池，但是设备本身仍然有一定寿命的，所以，必须在规定的使用寿命到期时更换。 如果报警装置连接到家庭的电气系统，请确保它们相互连线正常，以保证警报功能效果无误。连线式的警报器的好处是如果触发了一个报警器，其他所有警报器也会连动响起。但建议安装警报器，不论是否是连线式的，都应该由持有执照的电工安装，以确保安全及运行正常。

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