The financial facelift in today’s Globe and Mail focuses on a vancouver couple that would really like to buy a house, but are priced out of the market. Or are they?

“George and Colleen have a sympathetic banker. He has offered to finance the purchase of a house with the understanding that there would be no payments until George has finished his training. That’s very accommodating, but five years of compound interest would be a huge sum to pay, the planner adds.”

Their situation is looked at by a financial planner from Kelowna, Derek Moran who points out that they could stretch to buy a condo, but doesn’t recommend it right now:

“George and Colleen could downsize their plans. A condo for $400,000 would be an alternative to a house. Some banks will lend up to the full value of a home. Without any down payment, a mortgage at 5.3 per cent with a 25-year amortization would cost $2,395 a month, not including property purchase tax, GST and mortgage insurance costs. It would be paid off by the time George is 57 and Colleen 59.

Is it worthwhile to take on a $400,000 debt to buy accommodations similar to those they already rent for $1,200 a month? In spite of the advantages of ownership, it makes sense to continue renting, Mr. Moran insists. Buying would cost twice as much each month in mortgage charges as current rent and would expose the couple to the risk of a housing collapse as well as property tax increases and rising interest rates.”

It’s interesting that they bring up the possibility of a housing collapse, and even put some potential numbers on that situation:

“If George and Colleen find that real estate prices soften, they could save as much as $100,000 on a $400,000 condo. With the financing costs added in, that saving would actually be $296,368 by the time the mortgage is paid off.”

Isn’t it amazing how $100,000 becomes almost $300,000?