 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; ~2 A, a' L1 V+ d$ K" u2 Q" s4 P
& p2 x/ `9 ?! k) ^, i2 G6 }http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
, ] i8 i2 @, E' @5 w2 e: p* g8 f) _ W9 c
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.1 a5 }* ^5 H! B0 i3 V. g- J
+ H/ _! _8 a d' u3 C8 O4 F6 ^" K/ T
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.5 |1 v2 { q0 f
" h% G+ J+ D' l* p
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.
9 ?6 g9 j. @* U3 ?3 E) L! j
; N* `4 R+ a0 q4 U" D3 V" q8 F/ m! JWhy might it be a good time to sell?
2 R+ ]6 S; p$ A" f9 K$ j$ N) q6 ]6 {6 a. Z5 c& K4 d2 P
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.
$ G: m( m4 _& @5 J1 ~2 c8 }. T8 |6 B$ x0 J6 R# J
"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.
9 z! a" s6 a$ C2 v
9 ^( u" o5 Z: n* S1 \" ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
7 p# j+ q3 X$ O. Q
9 w2 g, C7 Y5 ]* J; ~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.( \( s" N A" _' f3 y5 l* f! ]+ c
/ d; y& n* {' K9 _/ pOf 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.
( f4 h# g! A9 j* s3 z+ Z
$ e; R3 v& A! z+ Y/ nBurleton knows how they feel.' X8 e# P3 F& g6 @6 w* |! X' a) k
( K L0 h0 S) z4 F% ?, _
"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.' G9 g. o+ o8 I9 E6 y& {) g% e
4 o6 ^) A9 d6 d* Q8 W
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.
3 R0 E" K" Q" L `0 r' L1 I9 [' N0 N! z& O# j
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$ ?' y1 @8 J4 a9 R# g& o
. A. J' E# W6 _% m: b' ^2 KAnd 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.
3 P Q! t: B% U0 _7 V& o
$ m& H) H7 u; V3 ]( W$ ?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.( h9 y u9 m5 {& ?: D$ H" M
* m* ~* U$ D' w; }1 d @2 M
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.
" S( ^: M' l3 p: a
8 y5 P- N9 c* D4 F' TThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying." a% I) B$ |4 A+ n
0 e$ `% Z J$ p% y, d
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 I/ X( z7 B& f% I; b. _( ~
( H- U' B% y/ G2 n"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.( Y" y/ ^1 Y9 J- ]$ N
6 _. Q- F! b: M7 J& ~+ {5 n! |"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."
! f- n7 J9 t E6 u) o0 r" P5 r( l+ V# T Q) @! ~
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
2 @* u+ I1 |! C% N* M4 ]6 w* L7 e' x3 M6 }; N" P; a
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. |
|