 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
+ `3 ]# Z& W- ?6 c0 f2 T+ w$ ]$ R! w- e' {% o
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 M3 o9 E. o, ~
8 \: p6 v' S( ^% R9 ^- X" w& n
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.
/ n9 J8 L8 U1 I" V3 o8 k; k; K2 I
, T" Z: a" h' j- W" a( HPeople 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.' U0 {: V9 R- Y% W4 ]& y% p" g
) m- X6 Z( k9 E- n- k# ?( G5 u
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.
) b# w; J! u: j/ T. A* m; ^" U1 j# h* x6 W$ K9 e
Why might it be a good time to sell?! K& G/ r3 b _2 r. |- K9 \
2 M3 T: `5 l7 a
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
( R7 } Q/ u8 L9 P* c* r0 B6 m1 u0 T- U7 ?9 j5 F( W" o- P
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.) ?$ q, R# `! `& F" _7 \% Y
, J* x, e. \: k0 E0 X& A% ~$ @/ h"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 Y/ D, f5 Q. H
6 r' z( i' n& n* w, ?6 H o$ JThe 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.4 Z& W) U7 h8 }( q* z$ A
+ x! Y. t1 A* b/ j$ v
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.( T! Q; ?5 h U( u8 Y1 Y
* H% @/ `/ z4 }' ]" OBurleton knows how they feel.: m& d) @* Y% w$ X( ~0 Z. |
7 K5 L+ k* H" x+ w0 H+ }% b7 f"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.
$ |4 r( M+ G( p' Y4 f* O2 M6 R4 b. N: p; @! K5 p
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.
/ {, `0 R) x# M7 N, q! t+ e y* }. G4 i. i3 s( ~0 p; r
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., Z t; ?$ Q% f) A- v2 ?. [
( @$ b' \' f! z3 _1 S
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.
) e! z7 g4 i, t" J4 w* [% w3 m, o$ A5 k/ x5 D& u8 t0 E; m
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.: X& D# j8 x+ M( V# ^3 F
) O' D2 a% B- o) m4 d& m4 V( n! f( D
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.
- g9 r7 c, F1 S
" U9 b1 C5 q% b8 O1 F% n4 m8 N& vThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
* m+ i1 q) w) K7 q4 K7 o; t ^
$ ?* v( @3 t) y; ~0 L7 MDavid 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.8 F" B9 I1 I' ^" n, |$ h: U
w: C d" |+ x0 X& \3 n- N& W"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.( \( P; x9 v& o) B: Z
4 V& p1 y3 D* J( ^
"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.": U/ l3 l, M5 m8 m2 ? H7 A9 y
! r; A5 v( i( {" u
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.3 C( T- R% M. y+ O2 Z3 w7 o
1 O$ o$ ^, w r+ E: m: W; ~
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. |
|