 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
+ L; u4 L( S9 `( U6 f( @7 ~2 b3 b! Y; g1 S
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html+ ^* m) \. o! P+ P$ j6 ~5 j: g
9 p8 U! Z; y$ X5 G( j7 m/ l" r k7 O7 \
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 Z0 O, L3 [+ P* e# t5 E
$ F# g8 Y9 K' [! V$ q2 x
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.) E+ p) j2 B! T
) d5 ]7 Q* D d2 B. a( u4 }7 s6 LIn 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.) O( d2 \: z F5 s* D7 j) I
6 p- z5 k, w4 k9 }+ nWhy might it be a good time to sell?
' n0 b# z' r5 F2 y( K2 ]3 n: K7 x4 x1 t+ [0 s3 _
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
7 s2 K7 j3 V# J( z, s5 i, \7 v6 o* k( O1 i# `6 q: Y
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
4 S% a. i5 T3 S4 F( [3 y2 ~$ H/ {! Q1 J
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
4 J6 b; D% U7 Z! ?7 M, n
, n4 @: X: X6 [- n! \. c0 o+ YThe 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.
* u0 |& v0 \6 p9 v0 n3 j0 K0 X
4 q- G# Q; F3 J- ^1 JOf 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.
E" y. y1 L; P! S% U' n2 X' l$ o
7 b) H7 @/ {( b5 T4 {) uBurleton knows how they feel." s' A- ^+ t1 H7 R$ ~$ L
~) j0 `( l |8 V"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.3 u' }% O. C+ O7 V# I. J0 ^+ A
/ w& l3 ?# B, K0 u( G
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.
4 G5 a8 f; P5 g6 i1 }! s- f Q1 H1 U! S
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.2 j# b8 @1 \$ v, J, h
) @+ A' `5 T& G% |
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.
6 r% c. F# u2 R
+ l' @6 ?4 I q" ?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.
$ w6 K" N4 [: S. a( [, V U8 F6 @+ |
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.
9 m, `4 L! t p& x4 F# w# ^( \' t& n/ F# K0 k
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
7 l. `/ D; r. F8 T: \" Q0 [6 e" {7 k4 g2 y3 }$ ~+ w6 ], A. s: |
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.
! Q* i" D2 @5 C. {* `# Q9 W1 J: g. O+ n# \! n: e- L
"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. w% t. Z C" E" w
/ a9 |2 z1 d4 O" d+ A3 _' 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."& H2 _! C. R1 t: S& E- K! [! B
& Q7 T3 l! j5 h g+ ^- mThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
, p* T2 F2 y0 p; e- h
5 |( g# K9 _ i# u" {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. |
|