[jasonturbo]

You know what really sucks about property appreciating here? It isn't the value, I could even eat the 1.5M for a house that suits my taste on the North Shore.

It's the property taxes, 15-20K per year in property taxes is what will keep me renting until there are major changes.

1.5M virtually fully liquid generating fixed income cannot be compared to owning a 1.5M house and having to pay taxes and maintenance etc. You will absolutely come out farther ahead with the money invested than you will owning the house, this is simple math, and is also confirmed if you compare the return of the SP vs housing virtually anywhere.. and that's only looking at share value, not paid dividends etc.

Median household income is 75K in Van, interest rates are at emergency levels, housing will eventually come back to reality IMO.

When the US Fed bumps their interest rate up we will do the same or see our currency really start to take a beating... whether we see severe inflation or delfation at that point is the big question. I'm very bearish on the Canadian economy both short and long term.