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( A! C: ^8 E5 v3 j3 R* k; Ehttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.8 r' h- e: i3 I. ?
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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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) Q. k2 ~3 h8 `- z0 ]Why might it be a good time to sell?0 S) m+ q7 n( Y- K e5 P! V/ @
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. H( E" k. w8 I: L6 w7 {, r
8 w4 K5 u+ m2 U0 G+ Q"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.+ d2 i3 Z5 w0 v% K1 k8 X
1 x& V; _+ I( M; b! o$ x( [, d. B"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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8 L* o- H) d, I5 Q. U, X; D, d3 _) FThe 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." y8 l9 H _/ N% ]# Z
* Z3 A2 i# u4 W" T* z3 kOf 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., R- s! w4 O5 Q0 _6 b6 i$ c
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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9 P- u' J/ v' y5 e6 I! i"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.: u/ ]% b, {& T3 E* W0 s( E, I
+ m2 X. h( K8 G7 hWhile 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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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.. N+ m3 Y! f5 v9 D+ v0 `/ L
$ K, ^% e, H' u+ e' \2 VIn 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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2 s: D6 f, k$ g! \; O. q) U) ?& {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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# ?+ L& u2 P9 ?2 m" y5 i3 H
6 x& B4 P, H& u3 G8 t( M9 S) IDavid 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., D4 a5 [" n! V- H3 S
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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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"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."" r, ]0 i0 c) Y6 A' m* G3 w
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 W5 d% y" n$ C* M
8 M6 Y7 A# R9 P- I( ]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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