 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
+ h6 Y# t" S6 G' L
& z+ _# s# X3 W5 Xhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html2 X- [: S0 Q4 b9 C
) o. e& T( R' ]/ @3 B
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.
2 \; b# H8 f. `! D9 [% j6 g( p& B5 `8 A+ a, Y' o
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.3 I( x/ ]& h' `3 M
6 E3 c N7 Y' ]$ HIn 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.
: [( {' H& e* B. n
. q& F1 B2 f0 ~ f& SWhy might it be a good time to sell?1 D7 _5 J: M7 O' F2 v5 [- A
! n4 u/ A! ^# E/ KAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.$ O# Z* R5 }+ f l# t/ g
$ ?6 o9 `2 N0 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.
/ I* ~# b# W0 t: p
( }3 w N* _ U5 Y. X8 x"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. y6 K; q7 r/ P% M6 E
7 |! D4 z. n/ Z$ p, Q; `1 W
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.
) j' Q0 @* Y9 L! }' U8 `4 o3 Z, r: x7 y, [4 g7 b; c
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.
: @, r, C, l0 h( e9 O# P; v Y9 }) X! u2 I+ |! Y3 t
Burleton knows how they feel.
% L0 s% q+ G$ V g i# F* q# t% \' R
"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 p/ _8 ^7 C$ ^ x
- q( U6 b5 O. B( k& v; T7 g7 n# m/ g
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.
! A" V* e, G& `5 T8 f: z' ?4 X2 V5 l
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.; Y8 j3 ^) y6 w5 o5 T# t
8 w0 i& T/ q( {& I2 x A/ E w2 ? 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.
, N4 ]) }7 ?! @& o, J1 L9 M; c" \; l
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.
$ D4 E1 W- i1 w1 v6 G) @# r$ p: v% P; J
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." p" R. R" `3 F% h; [. l6 C* R
$ A$ E( e6 g ?That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.0 ~$ a; h$ U9 h2 ^0 l8 P
, p8 j& ^! X3 l9 v+ d6 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.
; V- H, [$ U, Z/ o8 ~# L/ }) J* }2 e1 U9 R! `& N, s9 r7 t% f
"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.
* L& o' Z e. [0 ^) _
& z ]) U8 p7 U"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."6 C- r! u( i. d, G8 i. e) I) w
9 x- K/ I6 Q) h
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.- ?( x3 M0 u- X& o" u ]
; X" e3 v I/ kBut 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. |
|