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) ?1 J- x, b( J8 Shttp://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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+ v8 a3 h* R2 Q6 F F) N1 I! rPeople 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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a% ]' U) m5 dWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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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.9 g. @1 M# r, x! x8 W& Z, J& u6 n
$ d" t6 |, R) v. 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.
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3 Z+ J% Z" O, l6 s* l"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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1 w. j! Q; E/ nThe 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.8 J" |- j- P2 t N
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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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& K6 {2 b( \+ iWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.9 a, f$ A3 ?7 z" V- ]; c% t
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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.6 p, O+ _: `, n6 g1 |% W- [5 X
/ c% ^9 E) q- |2 J ?9 s8 c8 a' ~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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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.
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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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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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; L: x/ P$ r- e4 r"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.6 ]% z+ S7 a6 o1 I
8 o, \1 ^1 \+ h4 U) z"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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# w+ d) O( g9 G6 [5 x) D$ hThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 [- h+ C0 |/ o G. T
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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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