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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.
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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.3 K; y$ z) x$ _, d# A
1 w4 a X' F6 V8 y8 K" @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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- y3 f9 w' ]' J$ `8 _Why might it be a good time to sell?
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# ^! u; Q+ ?* w0 q5 u6 d wAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- O' F/ d* F3 V& W0 U2 C
% R( e& [9 \3 W8 V! s4 N2 z"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.3 p$ A( m4 k; b k
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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.' j: i' {' A0 Z# A4 R/ ^6 K( w8 Q$ q
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Burleton knows how they feel.6 O5 B' E3 A; x# D4 K. L: f5 Q
) u2 I. A4 z9 ?( T2 G7 I"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.4 O1 T: y9 y5 ]% Z4 ^$ A; W
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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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0 ~( g3 d( U. B4 _7 YWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.# D- W3 I8 M: H4 f0 e% ~1 e
2 Q: K \. d3 w' b, e" f; Y& vAnd 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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* t _6 T# b+ H, k O9 b1 b' h' @9 ~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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, P1 G+ y; h1 V& X+ }) X4 UMeanwhile, 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.$ N! k3 i. F# a: P* ^+ L$ b7 |
0 M0 j; k( p+ J: d9 YThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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, U$ I+ I: a5 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. U/ f" ?% c% \ k' q8 ]$ m3 [
0 ~, M: X1 [* z! b"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* J; F* w$ E2 v
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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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- r; W9 z1 f) c$ qThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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7 C' W" U& D' PBut 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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