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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html7 J$ M( f) F" [+ g& j
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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.4 v3 |9 _8 w! A, H, C! N/ i( u
9 H$ n$ L0 N, t6 Z; Q$ [5 _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 m7 g7 i$ c, W# W- e m* J
$ X! y9 Y# b% B) @( s* I: P" [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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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' `5 h+ N$ Z D- r. 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.
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6 r* j: Z4 c# i Z0 t5 D& J* d"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. N: A- x! p" ^4 `: H' L& X- o
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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.! U2 f6 [2 L" |) E0 J! S" L. ]3 a
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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.
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. \% X" j, x3 S& o2 aBurleton knows how they feel.
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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.& r8 U# P6 q" d3 \2 W
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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.: E8 O2 n+ O) s
7 m6 q6 q; p- j5 q8 DWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
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+ Q% l! v( L" }2 {' mAnd 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.0 G; T6 ?5 U4 g) h' N: `1 C
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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.
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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.5 i" A( a1 L& B& m+ U+ o8 ^
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; |8 H. x; a" ~+ W- j- I1 b
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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.
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"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."
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N! O) j# u& n2 B" vThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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