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http://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./ }" T+ O7 { ^! \8 a
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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., A/ v& v$ E# r8 T J
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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.. ^) J6 I1 w; t! g7 D7 j9 ]
( I( I. U5 e/ W+ J) G$ \0 V; ^& QWhy might it be a good time to sell?, A" s8 z$ B, j# d: C" [$ B5 y/ {
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 E9 ~# j) y/ M% Y; z& p' C W# \
, O3 B: w7 C8 n, u1 l" ]: C"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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& p+ e2 s- E- N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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! H4 `$ X+ P" _" \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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$ k, O3 y6 X* ~* R# V0 ? `# DOf 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.* L4 L$ B9 I% A1 d8 K4 o: R2 a
% @( L2 {$ \2 R: B( L' b/ xBurleton knows how they feel., k/ s6 s, m8 I0 q, l
. s; A; f8 `+ q0 L"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. m2 m, M% M: }8 n0 u( Z2 J8 F$ z
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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.7 l9 z1 g+ @( X( Z6 a: t7 o5 N
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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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; q9 L$ e/ o ~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.9 n4 R( A9 ~7 M8 `: 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.6 I: ?! y* g: o
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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. G3 l' P" @3 h* l
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.4 w1 G! Z( X0 V
) W& J ~' y3 C9 o: }7 f7 ?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.: ?! D) m8 A; O, b
8 O& L, m4 p$ z7 N" w5 l. g) g"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.( ]7 o, R) v& F$ y" o, s
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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." g" e# L4 I; H! ~
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 X) S6 N: U( z. ~9 o V9 ^
+ s0 v" X) `( T6 @$ R( jBut 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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