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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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. {* I% R, [# W: l- wOTTAWA - 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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b: s/ j& U; I+ o0 n3 yPeople 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.8 p% [7 i* H' r! o, _' m1 o
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Why might it be a good time to sell?) \! q+ {9 E- h# @# \1 y1 D
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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7 v ] Y( \0 K4 O"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.$ H; m x2 Z+ K1 ?8 Z8 A
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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+ u! t& f4 g7 K' d" k& r8 hThe 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.5 w q' z! C% u2 y
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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.( w. W$ Y2 |3 w/ U
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Burleton knows how they feel.# g( q5 `4 E3 p/ v* b8 u I
' O$ b1 s/ c: Q- H3 ~"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.7 a% l3 X" t& T F
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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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1 j/ E$ b# u# F" ? l) iWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.; ]; C1 r! P& {5 p0 m! X5 ~% `& ]2 _
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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.
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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. ~# Y4 D- f( I& x' I
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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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$ i; y* _9 m, FThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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0 z# d$ J2 s$ N+ g7 rDavid 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.# b/ t' b1 p$ y7 q# E7 \
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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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4 g- G% q& b& z5 j G: d* O) x5 |The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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# n: j `* d! u6 c3 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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