 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
+ [! C1 N6 d, ~+ }3 w* I) P7 a
$ \$ y* ?) f$ @http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
1 D* a+ q) k' \4 F- J7 k" l
2 w* y6 ]: J4 K, ?- a* k0 ZOTTAWA - 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.
9 U$ j" E& S/ e. z! B3 d' N# T3 K
7 m, ~; `, O4 ~$ f, HPeople 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.
$ \& k7 f/ i# G2 [& r& k2 Q: j M) i6 a, c( x2 M
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.
' [( t7 [1 W9 k5 g; | W7 ?( h5 E7 Y- |: T( p& O
Why might it be a good time to sell?# O, S# K+ t- A; d! Z! T& L' c
+ z5 I6 i# M( G V1 b
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
7 A4 z+ f( W7 E m+ z7 Q* C; e) E
3 M5 }! w8 {! a% X. a+ _"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
) w" x9 W8 ^- y1 G( {( i: J7 Q3 U; h) T3 ?
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. u3 S, d, m, i) Z# I
# o; G$ l" I6 _' DThe 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.
. N6 X; ^" v) U! N& x) V/ h m/ h- [+ }3 U. @; `1 `
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.
' ~5 ~, F2 E: }7 Q! D2 \; [4 i
^% }+ o6 t3 a( D W% ~Burleton knows how they feel.1 _* b% _$ J0 N. Y4 B- Q$ P8 ]2 i
4 g1 V9 u2 u2 r3 P$ {"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.& [$ U% f" i4 e6 g2 ?
% I" o- S) A$ @$ q# }( @
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.8 o2 s. m; Y+ X
# s& p, _# q( Y0 o) P& y4 \8 g
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.
( @$ A6 H$ D# r) ~% b3 Y4 l- r. t' c; g
9 m( Q; g; n: R8 `" h* lAnd 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.
g7 u5 M( p3 y. v/ x8 P" |% a+ E& |1 k
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.
2 k" \" p- z, r, ?% o/ p( M9 |4 T& V7 H% f: G
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.
/ i% a" ]% g' T# I6 A5 M r: ]; b
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
! L0 Q' U# U6 P' d% p* O* n# U- \- S) z( J, `- U o8 |; z9 H
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.
! K2 g" t( d) J( W! m6 K; f5 Y( L' Z) C1 R) ^; \; G0 C c
"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.
}6 T2 X- {& \# v4 h- x6 N) I7 V4 O
"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."
# e8 o# [- I @5 d
8 c6 }. C) c$ y/ D' \The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
! w, g- p z' e5 ~$ c j7 W3 b ]; @3 \9 }2 E0 t# p
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. |
|