 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
4 r! {! D7 O# }+ |# W4 L; [
' e9 y& h1 f) phttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
6 r# N) s; z _/ u: }
4 u8 h3 R* ]' w1 M5 ]. h+ nOTTAWA - 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.
( l+ T0 Q4 h" w/ H0 d; n- Z$ n( H0 {
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.1 a$ G: l. I: Y( R
% l1 U2 S t J7 Y
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.* Z0 ?! B9 n5 g9 X4 Y, f) R: Q' r
5 H* b- n2 W. F2 t
Why might it be a good time to sell?
" K. B" `+ g4 Z! S
* ^5 c; T' e$ M- W3 l+ t& aAt 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.
% n- Z8 A3 i7 }" n7 V8 e1 `, J, O4 M2 T* R2 B8 M. {
"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.
$ F) q4 R6 J# M* K$ p- z& T- I( U; Y9 }6 }* k" i8 {* M
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
% ~' o! H- T4 o6 R
9 b: T/ n# v7 f$ ? c, t7 x' {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.; n4 j) e) y' j. {+ D3 d) q. D* j: u
" N* I) F8 y2 P8 fOf 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.
* c. p9 B1 q3 m5 C4 I- ]2 x1 s6 r: s6 ~1 U( q& W
Burleton knows how they feel.
2 j5 f/ D3 p& }8 q4 d# p6 _) r0 z6 P
/ v5 f; j" m3 E9 m: I& h"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.
9 |- F0 U- b f+ U1 _ L- O& ^2 V! ~1 t; o' d3 _. }
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.* c; K4 _0 R& x. A* N" {
/ j- D: O$ L) U6 k& g+ ?
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./ M/ G+ P/ l. _5 p1 u
' O' p& E j+ ^* c% B
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.# G, O' h+ {$ q, {5 d
$ |# O0 a0 S2 W% Z6 r. F
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.
3 Z0 }+ r1 ^) K# {( f! T. p1 J( }" V( U
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.3 Q+ j( F- ?1 k
: q$ W5 X/ J5 _7 e5 i6 V+ q: L$ P3 RThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
2 I# _ ~: k* V; @ |. x: [, j- p/ I; \. |! H/ P: V: P8 @
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.
5 i$ H$ r/ Y/ X
. n1 ~# w8 h( i0 ^5 j% L, P3 a7 p"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.4 |! I- L! T$ p$ X, ?
9 p8 J. q; E$ T4 e% o
"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."! L) V1 G' R8 V5 U T+ s: ~. t
9 n% j# F4 N2 BThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: g* o3 n" A" y2 S
* G5 S/ l1 A, V2 C; N ?- G
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. |
|