 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., G D; l' r, k) m
' O: y3 h1 z- J. I# {1 }+ M3 vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
! r. h( f: ?. \4 N5 _7 z: N
: U8 Q5 x5 W4 D: FOTTAWA - 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./ C# U$ u( Z% K! c5 A: P. p
0 A. m# ?7 S7 S/ N5 t! R$ L
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." {# W+ p* G. z4 F, d1 Z/ R
, t# s+ v3 e& T2 D
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.3 N3 ^5 b& J5 D' A* T
}5 @$ g& C0 S5 U% fWhy might it be a good time to sell?
" ~& a, [: @2 b% V( S7 b7 s# `
6 c. p, Z& Q2 B3 r# K0 ?At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.$ J. i- A+ A, I" l6 v$ d7 _1 a
. ^# F( d$ y* b! E
"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.
$ w d$ K# C: g) ~' T* M/ S9 t$ L
5 W3 t+ r1 t" V, _6 Q"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
2 n7 w5 U1 j( t" b# L+ o; w4 y+ V; T8 Z$ Y3 m. y6 p9 B6 V8 i7 ~
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.
$ L& ~4 r( D: S! B- i0 x; j5 g& _4 \8 J; y' I6 t
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.
8 d2 x/ P' U' R1 }, z" a7 R# @+ t( C$ V# H+ E9 g- L
Burleton knows how they feel.) ~- R8 H) z9 F' q* i6 x
o/ k1 i, N/ z1 B/ ]/ s) K1 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.0 a3 ~' E q0 C* m
/ a. z' W. ]' ? q2 ~0 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.& c9 H' c2 i1 `
8 M: B" A& u2 Z3 MWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.* F5 d' \8 s; |' N- Z; c
; N- F9 K3 g# Z+ C% J1 }) m
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.% V0 F" U. E, x- H3 r( h$ R
5 f; b& v9 b, C3 S4 G6 s# a0 Z1 eIn 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.* @0 x- ]6 d5 y5 {. y
8 r; V* ?) K, W2 h" ]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.
- Y; P3 I7 X7 p) e9 B% \& G- W6 Z- M8 d3 T/ ~* v$ {
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
5 u' w9 i6 [# N! _3 `
. g* i+ G0 [ ~! J$ r3 RDavid 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.3 _- G) y$ r& x' _' K+ o
* x/ k/ {4 U, i1 d
"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.
! u& {0 ~. m8 q& }' {" ?8 e# {; F2 O" ]) I/ V% k0 k) m$ a' k* _
"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."
: M- I2 g# R* f; D; T. [8 {# o' T8 b
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( N2 ^" {5 |4 V- D6 S! W2 k
F- p8 @, ^& g/ Y9 g6 EBut 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. |
|