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' A* W, B5 O r% Z9 y3 K0 i, p8 Jhttp://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.: T9 X: u3 X6 R5 B
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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.8 y' F7 B u' [7 N+ V
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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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; M/ M5 Y* x: d+ q% i$ B- _Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.8 n ?% _) E' }' y" u' {
- V8 A% e; U1 N3 ?"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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* o; A1 F" g w( ~The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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' p9 O' q% R+ W& W% X9 ~7 k1 u0 XBurleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.# t# X! \ h" t2 s1 Y
" E3 r: D" {0 k& x4 A$ A, ?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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3 g; |% d- C! o$ \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.
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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 V6 ~% t# @( ^1 A
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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./ V- @& t8 k' t7 {1 A V0 x' d5 t
* C D9 }6 x- w1 k3 ^5 a( O' BThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 ]' d8 _: ]3 S# i# [. H4 n* n, D
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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." b& N( |! I+ t0 G
+ |9 m8 a# T3 z1 b/ M1 v. ?( @0 f% N"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.1 K- R3 @1 q) |) R$ u( f# L8 k
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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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$ v# y& x T! gThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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0 o) C/ v& W1 P/ U3 BBut 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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