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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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- {8 j) e+ E: _: u& [3 gOTTAWA - 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.
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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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0 M- n& e1 B! S3 u" U, c' JWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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+ I! _. z$ y4 A3 {. [) EAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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+ S; L1 ]9 E P6 X( j"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.( `$ ~" e9 ?, u% T) L
. n# s+ \+ `9 M) [) D9 `2 ]. I"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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k" S+ }1 F( M. B" p: D- ?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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Of 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.- ~& ^7 Q' @$ _3 T) [
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.2 b d6 q" A0 J' G
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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.) |- @7 e A; i7 k M+ Q% h7 p7 w
F$ Z: s% U |( b6 [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.* C0 H% V ~3 p
' c/ }1 n1 _& E, ~1 aIn 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.
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1 \# ^# X3 ]0 }* N1 b; _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. T9 M2 @8 Z/ k( x
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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.
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. f5 h' J0 ~/ P- T! u"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."! m( A+ Q9 x# x/ ]' x; i8 |, [
& l3 x# f0 a6 g5 EThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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1 k0 X) N) K, T: J' u" KBut 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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