The job and housing markets are still hot, and all the heat isn't just in Western Canada, according to reports Thursday that home sales remain on track to hit a record high this year and that employers' hiring plans continue to surge. A national index of online help-wanted ads by global Internet recruiter Monster Worldwide continued rising last month to reach 138, up seven points from September and up 44% from a year ago. It was the highest reading since Monster started collecting data 1 1/2 years ago. The upbeat jobs report is good news for the housing market, which is being supported by strong employment and income growth. The Canadian Real Estate Association reports home sales grew a marginal 0.1% in October from September, and were up 0.5% from a year earlier. The average price of a home hit $301,516, up 9.6% from a year earlier © National Post 2006