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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html0 N8 ?' Q2 U( e2 K8 j( y
9 g3 p% N) C) \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.' Y$ V) {- x& a. [ G! `) j( U0 d6 E! ^
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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! }$ g1 P) ^+ L' c$ I+ {At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; u* G, ~- p7 N, F! R
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.1 s+ P% b% O4 i7 E9 ?
: T! \+ N3 \- }0 _1 p4 Z: j0 a1 E"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 q: O- ?* K4 m$ I3 f0 B
$ b6 `$ u4 h. @" _0 ~+ ~' @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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3 A, `/ e# M% k! XOf 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.
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, y3 N3 N0 n2 L' s+ [9 W1 tBurleton knows how they feel.
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' N3 S. b9 D! B. V"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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While 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.
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, @3 D8 h; E6 z; ?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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8 d2 g& k3 e3 C2 z9 [5 EIn 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.& y0 W+ `: [) V, C9 v
& J n) Z, `% E9 J% k; pMeanwhile, 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.
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" ^* d8 X& Z' ~That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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7 A, E+ \2 x* ~1 |- d: S1 J; [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.+ L+ k$ `# P+ o
/ z$ M5 [4 x) b0 u; s" t( 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.
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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."7 D3 m4 _5 i9 J' S1 C. `
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act./ [9 i# h! I. q& s
( y: d/ |" \) l9 N6 n7 BBut 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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