Strong home sales in the summer have prompted the Canadian Real Estate Association to dramatically increase its forecast for sales figures for this year.

The agency is now predicting 432,600 units will change hands this year. That's only 0.4 per cent below the 2008 figure, and it's significantly more than the 14.7 per cent sales decline the agency was forecasting as recently as May.

"The difference in the resale housing market now, compared to the beginning of the year, is night and day," CREA President Dale Ripplinger said. "And nowhere is this more evident than in the West."

British Columbia and Ontario are now forecast to post annual increases in activity this year, reflecting weak demand last year and a subsequent rebound.

Whistler Real Estate Sales are on pace for 475-525 transactions in 2009, similar to sales numbers in 2005 and 2008.

Annual Whistler Sales

2004:            725

2005:            516

2006:            625

2007:            848

2008:            530

2009 YTD:    249