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) Q( c$ D" F4 D2 P- V+ R% shttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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2 s/ g2 _& O" a! a- cOTTAWA - 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.$ f, K2 j2 }: Q
0 ^' ^/ z9 S8 |9 H& e( {& \ e' `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.; V; p' Z4 V2 m" |, z
3 c5 J' Z8 [) NWhy might it be a good time to sell?; n8 s4 D$ b. Q O7 M+ p5 E; v/ e) d
% _$ K5 A' f4 ^! B; K' h- p5 I tAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. `1 n8 V! K, L2 Q$ k1 P* S
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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.) t' Q9 `3 m2 t+ F" ^5 D- |
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop./ _$ H+ o! a4 [
t: p/ `, q7 T0 E* I: N6 w& J ^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.& N! A4 C5 H1 E+ V# n8 H
8 r1 u, t" B6 g9 B: VOf 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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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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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.; B! \3 O2 V: Q8 M/ M
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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. j7 U" z$ F# R) S* n5 c/ p
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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.! E9 k. M( A( s
( K9 w, a* p. B; t6 HMeanwhile, 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.
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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.2 V- }9 D# G% C6 c- d
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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."
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/ P% O8 N7 R* r6 s8 _The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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! L3 m4 D: o* ABut 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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