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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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! y2 w2 M+ k" z1 D% Y6 z; L- _http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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2 [% e( X: }4 u6 V( _3 uOTTAWA - 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.3 |" M6 l$ D) P$ K( z- o8 r
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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.* |( [4 h8 @$ M+ ?
" d3 C$ q; \: i7 A) y% q5 Q+ a& gIn 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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( {7 {" _( }8 \$ lAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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# W9 H; [3 I, E"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.0 U# m4 h- C: Y
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.( _, J* t( b, o6 B, E7 S* P
/ j z. ~0 z$ aBurleton knows how they feel.# z8 j0 K* k$ \6 M
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"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.
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$ k) v+ Q5 o+ D, W7 g( W$ y3 rWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.* _) |% N& U( `9 i( {! m, J7 E7 c
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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.& q) K7 ]6 M. n/ G0 T/ B3 B& n
" z X% s0 Q$ d' EAnd 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.9 e' ?' x( T1 E6 \6 I
$ P% p5 |0 k7 k0 s% NIn 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.
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7 K* n. B# p: y0 A8 o8 TMeanwhile, 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.4 F$ R) r n& t( A( {
5 T" F }/ j9 E% b2 X T, H4 DThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.' D& Q5 `+ _" C+ K m" A
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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.
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"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.7 \4 x* {% }9 s p6 P7 @/ T4 @
# E$ \! ]3 \, S' n# Y"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."9 f- s8 J0 e) o- ]
. g3 v: \+ e$ l# c/ g+ SThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.5 o% c7 f8 W/ R. M6 L- q! G' t5 p
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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. |
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