 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
1 s0 e& M! s$ d) b0 ^4 [- W5 ~$ m3 h$ b! \% m
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
5 m* s* f# ]7 p' n6 r; Q' ^5 G7 p" n7 j' O
OTTAWA - For most Canadians their home is the biggest investment they'll ever make — but they might be surprised to learn you can use if for more than just sleeping.
0 i+ X! O0 E) j) p2 F, J* e1 ]- C3 H
People generally don't think of their homes as a potential pile of cash in the bank, but experts say it's something worth pondering now that home prices in Canada may have hit their peak.) r- k2 p& \5 N9 C, u8 e
7 l R4 T/ q! c% p
In fact, analysts say if finance is the only consideration, conditions now and into next year or so form a seldom seen sweet spot for using home equity as a type of asset for investment.8 H J6 r2 y t) x* L
6 }6 L% S" _1 r; ?Why might it be a good time to sell?) e$ G$ s- V0 x, U7 K
, t1 b5 r) C. W! |1 N$ Y# mAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 x* T6 C, D2 C5 U
2 `# V- @" o6 f7 H( P# f2 I"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
% [. @0 u5 {& j
4 H) H( C; ^+ p, M# F"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.' I& j4 q) C6 E. p# ?3 {% D
6 }9 }# e% \: H) X; `
The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.8 y" i) g3 q, M6 U9 v
1 E' F) _1 O7 }/ L, s* }9 JOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
, O0 ]+ G% E8 u3 g, Y' ~
' E5 Y" V" z: X$ F/ G8 qBurleton knows how they feel.
, U: d! x3 j# r& q
4 A' M9 K3 d- m# c; ["I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
5 [/ R) S$ Q" R4 R) K/ ?' M7 H0 `/ Y; F1 T
While there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
# u$ `; V; i/ B$ u* w- p& j/ K/ U1 h; K E* `+ q3 e- q% Q
With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
1 f! B/ W# {6 F M: s" M- t% o. {0 `( d* ~2 x0 c. A' v
And Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney warned last month he was preparing to hike rates, which along with tighter lending rules being applied by federal authorities could trigger a flight from real estate.
4 ]1 v; H' O/ m9 m0 H1 y3 I9 a) u* U+ \5 Y/ D5 f
In market terms, selling a home at the peak is a way of "locking in" profits accumulated over the past decade of price appreciation — and tax free if it's the principal home.1 J2 Z- [) g& g; m! g0 d
; ~: e8 @% N7 f5 ?) y' z) RMeanwhile, home valuations have been rising far faster than the rent they would fetch since at least 2000. Canada's home price-to-rent ratio is well above historic norms and among the highest in the advanced world.: w! F! W( ^4 x$ [% [1 B
' O# l$ x3 P" n3 HThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.! L* d: w3 P2 v) S
e' D: v( h( d8 }David Madani of Capital Economics, who anticipates a 25 per cent price crash over the next few years, cautions that like selling stock shares, timing is always tricky." T3 R7 |8 k) E" X$ m% q `- H; ?
/ m; b& p8 e) [$ ^"We're dealing with irrational exuberance. We've been treating housing like some magical financial asset that is going to solve all our problems because prices are always going up," he said.
: {9 P8 D4 o) [- `: m% a, m! x- Y+ m' [$ Y+ H
"Of course, when the turn comes, the over-confidence that drove the market up can turn to fear. You are dealing with emotion ... so I don't believe in a soft landing."
% ~7 j) v4 S A9 S. v( O1 Y- x
6 V( b' I1 ]8 Y* ^7 {1 `The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
{/ v, N! R% G! i% C8 z, d; p, o) X" R r1 \
But then again he felt that way a year ago, he points out, and if households had acted on his advice they might not have gotten all the value they could from the premature sale. |
|