House prices crazy no matter how you slice it
DECEMBER 18, 2011
This will be a very short post.
I did a radio interview for This Week in Money in Vancouver. My segment starts around 19:00 or so.
I'd also like to highlight an interesting article by Prakash Loungani, a senior resource manager and advisor in the IMF's Research Department:.
The chart below compares changes house prices in various countries relative to their long-term price/income and price/rent trends. Canada ranks as most overvalued in the world based on rents, 5th most based on incomes.

I've previously highlighted why rents are so crucial in underpinning house values:
Examining house prices and rents in major Canadian cities
Cheers
Ben
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4 Comments
Three Charts That Blow the Doors Off any Hope of a 2012 Rally
http://www.oftwominds.com/blogdec11/three-charts12-11.html
holy crap. This is a scary scene. I feel for the people around me who just will not listen and stay over exposed to real estate. After a life time of building up real estate assets, it feels strange to have sold everything and be liquid. I cannot imagine the stress that I have avoided. Thanks again for a great post.
Ron
Thanks for your tireless work Ben. Keep it up, will always be following your posts.
What is the basis, exactly, of the historical average indicated as the 100 baseline?
Interest rates have never been lower than in the last 7-8 years, and will stay down precisely due to the large asset and related loan amounts, allowing most to stay above water.