 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
$ g" c. K8 o- \) T/ C6 d! S8 J# r. B4 o6 J0 C* S8 \
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
0 m6 s! @0 \ U- u! Q \( s: _; W9 O9 ?, A+ k) u4 M, 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.
) {% e& c1 ]! |! `
7 w: i, t$ C$ y, c: MPeople 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.
9 [! X! {' w; V) p+ ?; r& m$ F) A \1 N7 e( ]! h$ t
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.7 |; ~! Y' @& r1 j" N; t
8 H2 r o1 f, M5 u+ l
Why might it be a good time to sell?
3 Y9 j- V: B- ?, z# S- k( R
b% P1 r& j+ E6 nAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* a5 ^& V: ^; ?8 ?" |/ Q) @
4 R" u2 m/ x1 A' m; w. W0 W# d" ^
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
1 [/ `9 e! y* P8 [$ ?- t% H. L# p- t2 o w# T: d6 l
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
; a% r- M: o5 C! _; i
7 g1 n+ y n+ B# R QThe 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.
' n4 P3 ?# [; ?/ ]" ?3 o8 t. n+ T" t" b! g- y
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.4 d+ |4 k$ E \7 d* @
( w1 o% ~0 N& p6 YBurleton knows how they feel.
5 J" J, S3 G) f/ p* j
2 N0 }; Q; j2 M9 A"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.3 w. a6 T5 t3 m2 H6 P
$ H* V+ l6 J& w0 ~" z {' J
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.0 _ d& S" W. N
X B+ ?1 j1 z0 f l% K( ^. ]
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.
* ~/ j/ ]3 V% Z2 m2 t# M
0 }4 }9 |, V4 \: D* j8 mAnd 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.
* }+ S$ J$ ~) B, e
# p( O8 J1 o; sIn 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.
, q$ S! l& N* A, q5 X7 ]% E/ p: j) h+ A, Y
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.
7 W' h; M9 C) @1 O# Z
R8 c8 A" g3 T7 g; SThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; [5 e8 @( n# N
7 v# s* Z; M3 _* fDavid 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.9 [+ `- g) H3 C7 y& @
* L! d' Z7 s: G, y' H1 Q# M3 y. K"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.
" f3 v( i% ~% W P) l- A1 N, p7 N4 z- P
"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."
8 r3 O6 @# E' T) ?$ L3 h# E& D; P; g3 v. _
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 @: P0 A" N6 M: n9 b; o* T
( Z* y0 R& G+ `# x" O
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. |
|