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1 B/ u6 ^+ e3 D1 c1 l0 Bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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9 X6 x: I, S* [OTTAWA - For most Canadians their home is the biggest investment they'll ever make — but they might be surprised to learn you can use if for more than just sleeping.( }6 C S: f% W) h' G$ j+ f- A9 C* D. d
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People generally don't think of their homes as a potential pile of cash in the bank, but experts say it's something worth pondering now that home prices in Canada may have hit their peak.' u6 J1 W3 R; }& y( O5 h+ u
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In fact, analysts say if finance is the only consideration, conditions now and into next year or so form a seldom seen sweet spot for using home equity as a type of asset for investment.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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& g2 k) W! |2 F6 R2 R2 ?# DAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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4 D( E" b0 c B7 T9 \0 T! s"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- t, x$ U( m, M0 p, U. }' h3 D. P
! c) k5 Q) ?. x: a( l"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! J W) A' |3 h; I/ y: c* @
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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! U$ Z7 d K) B& n- NOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.5 a2 O- ~0 r, Z& ?1 H- Y
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Burleton knows how they feel.$ z) I* n( s4 ~
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.# ~$ Q/ a7 Z) W, ?# D! ]- J
3 A# ?. U7 E6 A! m1 yWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.& w# A- _) v" i4 R9 ?9 o) A5 i
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And Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney warned last month he was preparing to hike rates, which along with tighter lending rules being applied by federal authorities could trigger a flight from real estate.
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7 }' ^* } R! }0 f1 P$ q+ cIn market terms, selling a home at the peak is a way of "locking in" profits accumulated over the past decade of price appreciation — and tax free if it's the principal home. [- E4 T9 r' F) X; W! U H: F# w
; m w' m' }. D2 Q: u. S" Z% {Meanwhile, home valuations have been rising far faster than the rent they would fetch since at least 2000. Canada's home price-to-rent ratio is well above historic norms and among the highest in the advanced world.4 e: Q; U2 q5 c3 A
$ a- k5 ?; C) u: [( H2 F/ qThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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David Madani of Capital Economics, who anticipates a 25 per cent price crash over the next few years, cautions that like selling stock shares, timing is always tricky.( C: X* d9 f" D
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"We're dealing with irrational exuberance. We've been treating housing like some magical financial asset that is going to solve all our problems because prices are always going up," he said.5 ?/ t! ^8 e7 @' Y8 V
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"Of course, when the turn comes, the over-confidence that drove the market up can turn to fear. You are dealing with emotion ... so I don't believe in a soft landing.", q/ Z: ]3 t/ G& J# x( |3 k* o
4 o0 J; p0 K# A: Y0 V# p/ W% xThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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But then again he felt that way a year ago, he points out, and if households had acted on his advice they might not have gotten all the value they could from the premature sale. |
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