 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# F* m# Q1 B1 Z" |4 x
0 T7 \0 @, L c; N" {http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
8 Y' A9 C3 c) T% [% y0 t5 O3 {7 c) @- f* a, G) E
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.6 Q) h! _5 R# O6 [
' B- a' C' ]' a/ p& |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.. e) ], Y9 Q# @. |3 @( Y
9 ` |" x! K/ `9 G/ G5 v$ i
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.
" _/ R& g, c( w. f4 ?. A( N% t
8 y/ I' q z) T" XWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ U: W. w: @5 ^0 Z
! E5 `! A4 E+ Y* @
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.5 E3 s4 T% {1 ^5 m5 Y H2 f: R
5 S, ^$ V3 m- [, A: U( W% r6 E& 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.* P- `; R |! @& s3 l8 ^4 |
7 \, k) x$ J2 d"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
1 u$ G( e5 B: | a0 N
1 T4 ?# K8 ?# X0 x& Z# E: vThe 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.
* ?" [; x& @0 w
* I, f, k& A0 {% I6 d: j9 Y8 |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.
) M8 J4 V' W6 ] i# x4 K7 _! o0 N$ [2 v$ E2 V2 H
Burleton knows how they feel.
1 |8 i% Q5 L% b8 M) l
, | E; ~% W4 I' G"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.
+ C6 u# G# ~5 \1 h6 A* j% k: W% j3 l$ S! _7 p* F1 C, J% ]: l
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.
& G/ s: _3 ]/ D* \3 i- C$ v2 k% E l. U" y* {
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 r K: n' f$ o) @. [
* [* \/ }: I' H2 F. b
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.6 M+ C! p1 a' J! m- V& ~& g# i
; y2 Q( I A* gIn 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.) l2 c) h1 y) ]
8 L3 C% s+ P5 f& Q: s& d0 S% }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.. r/ x# Z- b! c) g. h5 z/ ?" i0 q9 E& Y
0 ?: y4 @& @% R- K1 b" Q# X1 v
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 O% o6 P$ d5 y* F* V5 @8 q
/ D: L4 t" n6 \, aDavid 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.) v3 p) J5 E8 t8 _' m
% e2 y+ J+ C2 T4 _) ?8 L
"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.2 U# \% [/ j. X% h# v
8 R1 z7 l' L5 z9 Z5 Z
"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."# b3 R F& G9 e# f# f0 D8 u, _
2 F7 x! w# K" ^+ h1 N9 JThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.* Q3 `& b# K+ J, @" ^
2 z8 E7 h: i2 U: q( ~6 ]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. |
|