 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.& {0 d2 a, @! I9 c/ c" ^* [8 c8 j
0 C% i) n& M7 P x U. c( Z( T
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
k9 @( c9 p, ]! p* _# e* g, Q5 _& Z& }- Z1 i
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.
7 ^* \1 n k. ~7 \ O8 i& |: h1 ^& ^2 a. Y
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.% D" t/ I8 |) `
6 _% [9 D2 h, V S+ w$ fIn 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.
9 q+ m: w8 d1 |7 a& E* b4 @; |1 g' s
Why might it be a good time to sell?
' C, U1 B" j3 o0 P L) l
" z& P. H5 S, W7 n$ P7 c1 wAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
5 L6 k# J7 V) A7 X i5 R J# ^! o* c/ l4 G
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
; c% f5 h6 W9 m$ Q. u- H) H
3 G7 \! V5 w( k3 I1 }"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
% j3 B0 l' ^7 @7 C' v" F% z/ O) l. e3 p m9 c) p+ c
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.
, ^6 a( M1 b1 P$ l. M* b5 M; b/ {4 h ?/ O/ _0 f+ F
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.' n0 s, r& d( i+ z% I- w9 m
8 I4 b% j" ]: V3 h
Burleton knows how they feel.8 o/ h6 ]! C% W' {: |% A
! B2 ]/ }. T. c9 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.7 H9 E- P! Z, E: s8 m; W9 ?
4 `6 R/ @$ ?, |" O. F$ \
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./ E, z: F+ @4 a$ I
! L, |: P* _% L: Y1 lWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
. v7 \" R! |; X! m2 ^, U9 ?
6 s, f$ o7 i d5 qAnd 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.
9 @. w4 }; f8 l/ J2 G4 K) N
8 M+ G2 e, ~) o6 P$ n9 OIn 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.
5 _8 l! M, N9 l& z: L) |* j: D- B8 t# K; ~# V9 Z* V
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.
5 j( b- h1 W$ g# @1 i* L) {% c, J# M
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.% m3 m* [8 d# ~6 [0 E
# y4 ^5 ]8 Z+ D* a, A
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.
8 P8 P/ }& }- z
; f' u: a! y( B/ ~* r9 O& H/ o* r8 m"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.
* K* c) p3 C% n$ q3 r- I( H
9 |! c- d2 w) w( E3 L"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."
C/ X. Y3 |4 V7 y4 `1 e6 [1 A% q& s, v( _) J7 \9 K/ |) h- l
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
9 n q2 a8 a& E4 @* d: U, _
. h9 K! h& D4 F; }: E) F9 @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. |
|