 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., }$ O4 }4 f. O2 t6 W
, T) ]) M" T$ m o. K1 G4 n
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html! C& u6 @9 l) f H! P2 m8 d% X; i
3 h$ [2 k' z% w
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.
P! [' w4 P( R! d8 r; @
) Y; V! d# }. w" d* |, O# cPeople 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 z- ~7 v0 @3 j9 r/ [. W% d) ?5 h1 i" {/ a+ L2 F/ Z, w
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.1 V7 |, E) {, s8 ]0 e; C j3 }8 }/ _
" D8 D- Z' A) X: z8 c9 t1 y9 |Why might it be a good time to sell?
V0 k7 k" `( j) w0 W) }* G5 L( m2 U7 c( J
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
; U! v$ [ a y" p" d
. F9 s! B: i. P3 s" L"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.
8 a1 r, _0 `" h( ?: z3 \0 Y) m$ @% y0 V$ q. o- _5 Y. z
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 L8 C0 q3 G6 Z, P& B3 H
0 W h4 g4 a5 ?% X+ \' r
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.
; X; x2 X. ?/ o1 a" \$ K4 D
8 A9 ?5 R- }. [4 `' Y# UOf 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& j% p* d" J- t0 \1 B9 Q
h- Y" Y7 ~+ Q$ K& SBurleton knows how they feel.
# d5 t0 ]; E {; t0 W" w+ G) Y) X7 j/ o" R% Q$ {
"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 a: A! P l- W: D3 g( l+ q
+ ~/ v; N9 m- F- x
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.# _9 e$ S. T, g5 g) J
5 k. L" M! L \# `/ f2 r3 Y, n9 F: A, GWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.' B7 Z% C+ Y! R5 R! M
; Y4 X2 L! U- s# g) m zAnd 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.6 m0 X. g9 ~4 q# v
8 ]& Z4 O3 N$ h6 t0 [8 tIn 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.
) F; F1 C* T% y h, V7 J/ X# [# I( j W |7 N
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.# s) u6 q1 P. Q( j
+ K2 T `! ^; H; |* z& V
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
) F$ z( g0 ~6 z. G# R: b7 k
" a- C! l! G; R: C4 g {7 FDavid 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.
/ A* k' p4 m, c: y3 N; |- X. y
; V; V/ e+ m2 r"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." A' ?& S; x6 _3 b& \
' F1 j3 |. c& H
"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."
L7 f _7 r+ A1 i1 z7 ]( ~! R
8 L$ V0 q( r q: IThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( a4 T- N0 C" y8 \
3 @4 I5 U: Z1 v- F5 X
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. |
|