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$ }( k6 E3 O- _/ o* |http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html* d9 c5 v8 Q. j9 D4 Z9 L
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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.
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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.% D2 K7 h7 _$ @# m5 D
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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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# E: Z' T5 w5 f0 U0 x* dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank. |: g( _0 n! g; D3 I, S
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 B8 q* `% [' a; I$ K6 D
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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.+ Y5 Z! C8 C) D9 F9 Y
! w7 K6 t% J! V$ j) @! T/ QOf 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.2 d/ \4 M+ o4 U, E
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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# F! V2 R) p: c% I9 E$ q2 V. ` o"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.
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# o8 ]' d! {8 I. X; iWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way. o7 q9 e' ?/ f: ?6 W! y( R1 u
3 T# b+ K4 f% z. ~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.
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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.& ^8 m# ?3 b# I; V$ E q1 S
5 R# v/ r8 ?5 n {/ jIn 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.
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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.8 [; f2 V$ Y" `& |9 e; k
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That 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.* ^' x4 Y; N6 K) c& o
3 t* c0 \" Y, a! ^/ v- I"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.* d2 e2 B! l+ i% O
4 ^. Z5 i0 M, g, d"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."' `3 y, V' E! u. n, L
+ U1 U3 i4 z/ e+ j) o/ f WThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 k/ ~' M* @+ o. J% `) U3 m1 u
' z. A$ Y1 v1 ]. TBut 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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