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# \5 F( I2 n% h K( X. a6 e) n3 Uhttp://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.
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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.3 E/ A7 O# x8 ~+ @+ R
2 |9 b& b6 _/ U' bWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.) u8 h- T3 y( f6 P
+ T$ g. A6 i" t* Z; T" g* c"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.# n5 ^/ \5 M, e2 s! f
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.& b: o! {( Q7 B# V9 b/ ~
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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.
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" h5 Y& W% P) U: T7 O- SBurleton knows how they feel.1 M* s% Q5 f0 e
0 h! A e! w5 W+ Y# F( m"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.* y8 z& l5 A: O( n9 z
/ e9 F& U" @ f+ cWhile 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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6 \7 ^# g, c* @; T& P# _' p+ kWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years. `: {% L( f% A0 H8 b% m
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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.( [" D9 [1 I1 ~ q' K1 R( |
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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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2 t0 f. |# E0 t0 y Z2 W* ]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.: E& I! l1 M a6 @9 c2 y5 t, A. |; G
4 D# ]/ K6 n% W) I' @5 I"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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( b k3 \ n: G, ^5 P. f/ K# T"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."( U# s( T1 I* l: _) |
$ J4 T/ l( ~6 ?! d) CThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.- t3 X Q* `) J* X' y& y3 k
+ k, r' Q. s/ a) S) NBut 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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