‘Mundane works’: BMO’s Brian Belski on how to invest in rising Canadian stocks in 2018 + MORE Nov 20th

Chief investment strategist on where to put your money in Toronto stock market

Q: My son and his common-law partner bought a condo together in Vancouver last year—which has since gone up in value. The relationship did not last and she would like to buy him out as both their names are on title. Are you aware of the steps involved to legally proceed with a real estate buy out and is it a wise move from an investment point of view?
— Norma R.
A: Hi Norma. I’m sorry to hear that your son is in this position. Break-ups are hard and can be exasperated when a division of assets is necessary.
I’m assuming your fear is that if your son accepts a buyout from his ex, he may then be priced out of Vancouver’s hot property market.
To minimize the impact of future property price appreciation, he should take the money and buy his own condo or home.
Your fear—that by giving up ownership of the condo he misses out on future appreciation—neglects how difficult decisions can be with someone you choose to no longer build a future with. Just imagine it’s five years from now…

 

The stock market is going to take a hit.  This we can say with confidence.
Will it be a right jab, easily shaken off?  Or will it be a full-on body blow that leaves you prone, on the mat, panting, bloodied and humiliated?
A sell-off is coming.  We don’t know how severe it will be, what will cause it, how long it will last, or when it will arrive.  But history shows that stocks don’t just move up in one, long, endless, elegant line.
So when the correction comes, will you be prepared?  Or will you stress out and sell out, doing serious damage to your portfolio’s long-term performance?  Here are some tips to help you, umm, roll with the punches.

Read the series on big investor mistakes:

Don’t over invest in Canada

Don’t hold too much cash

Understand thyself
The field of behaviourial economics is pretty hip these days, ever since Dr. Richard Thaler won the Nobel Prize.  Thaler’s research provided the data to prove how “predictably irrational” human beings can be…

Real estate isn’t just a place to live anymore, it’s now an integral part of your financial plan. But that doesn’t mean you should get in at all cost. To make it work, you need to consider the purchase of a home as part of your overall financial plan. To help you stay on track, here are eight simple steps you can take to start the home-buying process in a fiscally responsible way.
1. Start budgeting
Most people start their home buying process by going to an open house or by going online to the Multiple Listing Service— a collection of private databases used by real estate brokers to list homes for sale. But if you’re serious about becoming a homeowner, the first place to start is with your financial budget.
If you haven’t already make a list of all your known monthly and annual expenses. Now compare that to the income you take in. Any money left over should now be used to further your home purchase plans. If you don’t have money left over you either need to reconsider what you currently spend your money on or honestly ask yourself if you can afford home ownership…

Some helpful tips on saving money and making wise financial decisions in the midst of shopping mayhem.