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1 E9 o& h P) X+ o) p& _http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; H: \0 T8 E+ A# e$ f* p: o
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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.. |- o' T7 R6 {8 h( Y, `
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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.0 V5 Z5 S9 P* I/ Z- ~' x* x2 X
/ z, T2 V( {' O1 T( kWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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6 C' U. r7 g: d) l1 [4 @* u$ }' t6 NAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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5 {0 X. P5 v! ^9 I4 c8 q"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank., L) |4 T6 \9 a$ c
% g% M* v& ~( Q+ N0 _3 q"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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- G( p# S1 Z4 Y( q3 X( N# z& ?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.; G$ Y' K( ~) W2 x s( K
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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.
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0 S; i! H4 o# T, I: f( sWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.6 Y; L- B1 _* P/ J; J
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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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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.2 b& m- S2 \! A8 ]4 `7 Q
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In 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.& s; z$ F5 N5 K6 h# W% h
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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.3 v8 a* ^# ?3 a5 q: ~4 S
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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.
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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.* H- m8 K: ?$ v6 I3 y
" c& h- r- `% M' n$ \/ `- v/ R"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."( l6 t5 s9 A! q }: |
/ v# G. J* X x/ r9 X, p4 n7 DThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.1 J4 b+ E2 i: b3 h
& s9 I# M3 F( j. C3 l6 oBut 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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