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: G9 \2 m- H- U! F& d ^- zhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, t, [6 a, ?: U! E
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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.8 K, L6 W" G+ A1 a- G, `. i
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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$ T+ e L$ C( C7 rAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.9 D/ N8 j# l5 ?) ~$ Z
" v% I0 F( O% z# b& n( R2 b- Q"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.7 a+ z8 U. x Q& _
5 t# I( d0 ?$ h"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.; V+ q! q9 K J; v7 E
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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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w4 u6 Q7 L a# m5 J) p, O# I7 P! S/ {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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+ F( z; o: l' A- I; |Burleton 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.0 T. ~: Y) o' |- ?
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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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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.7 a7 }1 N7 `4 ]9 E: g: a( i
9 c, d( R. }: D" d. N gIn 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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n5 r b% r- F7 A* ~: KThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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" O2 T6 o+ j3 O. |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.
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9 G! Q: E9 F& x6 y. P* o0 s"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.0 M9 Y* F/ ~* c2 l4 h% m
: B, m7 g) p& a) W4 M"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& |5 Z4 t" f4 M+ Y* }4 m- G& |
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But 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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