 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
) u* s3 } N) k/ y& q3 J4 q: r" z, `2 H0 a, t2 H
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html1 P# w. X) ?0 K% X$ F* R* ^
2 x3 V+ F0 q5 H8 S' h. F) S3 i4 iOTTAWA - 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.* m8 v* e6 o' |; W+ w# D
+ S& k& \7 _! `0 r
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( n" J3 ~) {) T( @6 M
9 |& k* m5 C# @3 F7 MIn 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.
) S1 J1 m0 j, S
; Q8 u3 f' ?$ f# z) R: sWhy might it be a good time to sell?9 E, ]/ h4 `" v: u2 l
; `- c+ z) D8 F1 K( ]3 s
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.7 W8 c, z" O+ t9 u& b7 B# U
, N: v: c. u$ D% B) H& x+ P
"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.. @! X7 Z' g8 J* a3 |! l! \* q
: W2 z) ?+ a# K4 s
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.' }6 c$ s! ~' w, K
* x3 @! _" ^/ E- ]1 oThe 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.
, T9 ?0 Q2 n; A" C- {1 Z
! f0 F5 j" K y0 ?8 TOf 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.( P+ F: d/ {' X2 h6 c6 s1 u- Z* l
; ~6 [6 K* T, VBurleton knows how they feel.: R! _' K; }4 m9 ], C
1 U/ r0 z5 |# {6 `# y9 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.6 z6 V+ J6 b& A5 y2 C7 R5 X
3 I0 X+ |; _( J* b' S7 FWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
8 w1 D! t; p! E5 ?! b* L1 c
5 d: s/ K7 t( vWith 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 s1 b( e( j1 a( r& r- z# p0 W3 ^/ D1 r) f* X7 h, l2 w: H g
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.4 |* n! `- c% r" B4 I6 I( I
: L8 C8 Q0 j) U0 i" }
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.- ] E6 i( @0 w0 e
1 ^. N: A3 U+ P/ @& G3 C9 E) T: 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./ b4 |# p2 t2 C" o2 l/ @0 U) l
2 Q; J; ?# L2 _" ]
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
% @2 f/ P* C0 C$ F/ B" T
$ }3 c7 i/ p2 m6 D jDavid 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.% `7 _6 f4 C/ |
! t% @3 f9 y* M' z"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.
' ?3 g' z8 j7 L5 w% x2 K1 ?& j1 ]8 ?/ I b |9 f6 P0 Z6 a e
"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.") o( }% I1 g' y) Q1 `: U5 j
5 x9 H4 {4 U* d6 o7 P3 X0 m
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
- Q3 r# d o+ A5 u& } m; h9 l& y. w U
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. |
|