 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
+ {: g! a) l4 p, Q% ~
5 A& _9 j' k$ M( b6 bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
+ J& |9 L$ H- b) j$ N8 [0 F1 K+ n0 r/ p% r' C2 ]# z
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.
L' B( d$ I0 Y- B( B: i5 `
, a% q2 P- n. l; B' S2 p3 SPeople 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.
+ A8 ~& q* ~) z2 p1 e4 H( x% k; \/ i m- G" x0 H. v
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.. g* `- F8 N! K4 q& C; l0 U
$ O X6 f# [& G( xWhy might it be a good time to sell?
" U! a' {7 B7 L: }2 t" u, o
9 s# e1 b$ e/ n* Q) l& ~: NAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.6 ^7 w' t- O! o" S2 p
3 c# ?, ?& G* W% L. T2 c# f
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
( x* [8 {, I3 y) O. H9 R9 R
* x! ?* i$ C+ F9 n: a; N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
# W# t/ R( o% K' C. B, K7 D( ~+ e) c) {2 }$ ~$ ]) u7 ]9 L7 d
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.
3 f0 _+ Z1 X5 Z3 _ R4 ~. b) W2 y7 ?) f5 o0 @
Of 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." _# K' r0 `8 d+ o6 R+ G
# M, ?0 C6 O: BBurleton knows how they feel." C7 g4 i& d4 {" J6 g9 L% D3 _% C
" ]; Y9 w: y/ O z( b! }, j; M) D"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.* f4 }. P7 y6 e) ]. W
6 E! U' r# m$ v$ |6 WWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
' g* ]2 T U( q) A1 w; _. U# D( E/ m9 y0 j
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.) z* \; R O$ {6 y; ~
) |3 H$ V/ o' ] a' z XAnd 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.2 f0 Q6 Z+ [% B* j
! R3 n: j. U' Q* M8 x# d' ZIn 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.
( L+ `3 Q, ]/ f0 r+ g$ f+ z8 X! J. v0 [8 H- i- z
Meanwhile, 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." H* ]3 x/ j5 n
' S% K' Z, C) O' ?That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.+ r8 ~1 ?& p o: g( z# P( S
; ]% |/ P5 q5 }- C; F( [* r
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.
- K* t( M9 I9 G+ F) j, G
6 O6 {5 Z3 {0 Q# J6 i' J& I3 C. @8 ~"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.7 `; Q2 k/ Y9 g& U& \4 D
! ]7 A- r3 x" y1 h0 C" j
"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."( h3 x4 {3 @2 j0 Y4 C- y+ @
9 R: Y$ J+ i2 n6 D9 Y2 _The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
0 C n V8 w6 o8 Y \# }, w! w+ A1 G4 T5 Y# `' M
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. |
|