 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* M H% G7 S* O+ \ U6 ^
d5 B. X0 f$ x: R0 M. {5 P# h* w5 [3 phttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
; `7 F! x$ ^! G i. c8 [- W) E) N1 ~
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." w9 s5 ], _7 K: B# |9 j" P/ x
3 n3 t/ ?' b5 z& w1 b7 y lPeople 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.
1 [) t9 _1 H" R4 k9 q5 @" B0 ]7 {% F3 [5 @/ 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.
6 Z- j0 p4 Y7 v/ W
$ s3 d8 g& z3 G( O% E$ {$ ?3 }Why might it be a good time to sell?9 R- q# m( r [
8 z8 L" B" r( b
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
' k/ _3 V+ f& _1 T8 P- n+ j/ g/ V6 [, K* Q
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
o4 D7 O2 q4 m- q7 j* K
2 C: k5 R: c# R& f"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
" L8 T" A! s6 V7 R* z! C4 a' a+ m& C7 b7 ^3 V
The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
" }1 Z7 F5 B( @$ Y% d4 Q* s" I4 ~
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.. j# s1 Q8 v) ^) G# M) k/ W- E
/ ?2 c7 o$ e& S5 q# u# g' |Burleton knows how they feel.2 n& u }; \5 K" {/ \: U1 A/ ~& y
$ R* ?7 e n. d"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., L; E1 a6 c4 A' [+ {8 \
3 x T9 J8 p- a: ?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.1 S0 N0 l' t$ y0 G2 u5 B% z4 s
' U1 ~3 ]0 x5 t8 B# p% iWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
7 N, e1 K P3 r* Q/ H% g( l9 C5 p# M4 w
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.
0 y. H+ T" X9 z( O$ @
4 F! z9 |( ?; X' [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.4 w* |7 a( q2 g7 [, d- r
) v9 } c# T+ C, z) C( B& 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.
) c# l1 d: n7 h) s) @: C5 f
3 \8 s5 ^4 f' x) Z4 ZThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying., j* c1 t! E1 b' l6 G& {+ z. S
& V% C! V+ n7 i
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.
2 `4 t3 e) `. D' V: |! B& d+ U) ~+ 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.
* @" @. l( T/ A3 S4 ^
( j- t6 O2 i5 Z# \" y) S6 b& d"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."" c* Q: j! o: j
3 G* t5 g/ j' Y( S6 R
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: ^0 L! K0 F) ^8 G! m# h. {% q- Z
4 @; @7 [: F' y6 {+ t3 k. E6 cBut 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. |
|