bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really

Consumerism these days in both the United States and Canada is at its peak in light of the buoyant real estate market. Consumerism is a side-effect of capitalism - the good capitalism as Adam Smith might have called it. Consumerism is that particular economic niche where you find wealthy consumers snapping up goods. Consumerism is good for the economy, as it promotes trade and the exchange of money. It is also bad, as it fuels inflation. And consumerism in 2005 is definitely spurred by ever increasing real estate values.

When people feel rich, they spend - a psychological effect known in Economics as "The Wealth Effect" . It doesn't matter whether their wealth is actual or merely on paper, whether the money they spend is their own or borrowed on the equity of their assets. We saw this phenomenon at work during the stock run-up of the 90's, except that it is even more potent with housing. Over the past three years the wealth effect in Canada from rising home values has accounted for a third of all growth in consumer spending according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at McGill University. Consumer spending, in fact, has been single-handedly responsible for keeping Canada out of a recession for two years.

When house values increase - especially as dramatically as in recent months - people feel freer to spend from the wealth they have, or the wealth they perceive they have. They may decide to buy a bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really

t promotes trade and the exchange of money. It is also bad, as it fuels inflation. And consumerism in 2005 is definitely spurred by ever increasing real estate values.

When people feel rich, they spend - a psychological effect known in Economics as "The Wealth Effect" . It doesn't matter whether their wealth is actual or merely on paper, whether the money they spend is their own or borrowed on the equity of their assets. We saw this phenomenon at work during the stock run-up of the 90's, except that it is even more potent with housing. Over the past three years the wealth effect in Canada from rising home values has accounted for a third of all growth in consumer spending according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at McGill University. Consumer spending, in fact, has been single-handedly responsible for keeping Canada out of a recession for two years.

When house values increase - especially as dramatically as in recent months - people feel freer to spend from the wealth they have, or the wealth they perceive they have. They may decide to buy a bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really

ney they spend is their own or borrowed on the equity of their assets. We saw this phenomenon at work during the stock run-up of the 90's, except that it is even more potent with housing. Over the past three years the wealth effect in Canada from rising home values has accounted for a third of all growth in consumer spending according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at McGill University. Consumer spending, in fact, has been single-handedly responsible for keeping Canada out of a recession for two years.

When house values increase - especially as dramatically as in recent months - people feel freer to spend from the wealth they have, or the wealth they perceive they have. They may decide to buy a bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really

r Housing Studies at McGill University. Consumer spending, in fact, has been single-handedly responsible for keeping Canada out of a recession for two years.

When house values increase - especially as dramatically as in recent months - people feel freer to spend from the wealth they have, or the wealth they perceive they have. They may decide to buy a bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really

bigger car, to eat out more often, to indulge in electronics or fashionable items, all of which is in most cases financed by their equity. And, strangely enough, people spend their hypothetical riches faster when their houses go up in value than when their stocks do, because they believe that housing gains are more stable.

But are housing gains really more stable? This is the $56 billion question of the first boom in the 21st century. Are today's real estate revelers partying like they did in 1999 - just before the stock market bubble burst? To some economists the housing market - especially in hot coastal areas like the Lower Mainland and Greater Victoria - is a bubble just as ripe for popping. The main reason, they say, is that there is no reason for it. Prices in certain areas have more than doubled these past three years and there is no fundamental to account for it. Not even the 2010 Winter Olympics which, they say, are still five years away.

Instead many "bubbleologists" believe that what's driving the market is low interest rates, herd psychology, speculation and most of all the expectation of unending price increases. Meanwhile promiscuous lenders keep on throwing money at buyers. The lending business has become so cut-throat that practically anyone can walk into a bank and get a loan with zero percent down at three or four times their income.

Real Estate Boards across the country, however, thoroughly disagree with the doomsayers. Most predict another record year for real estate in 2005 with a median 9% jump in prices nationwide. Most Boards argue that there are substantial differences between real estate and the stock market. Real estate, they claim, is in fact based on tight housing, especially in places such as Vancouver and Toronto where