 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
# [: V' t9 |/ x% x- P) \
7 s$ C- G# v" thttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
: e& J( V7 C" x7 T0 C$ ?; Z
) t3 Z0 E% w; A4 ~) @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.# P9 L. L, H4 D' B$ q% v
9 f# o; u; f8 n. S4 `# O; FPeople 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.$ Y' u ]/ I$ ^! I) u2 ?7 H# w# i
& p c, u2 x5 }' }$ }0 Z. s7 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.5 o# l* q1 X) M1 p
! E+ B- ?! J: @9 m9 I% W* mWhy might it be a good time to sell?0 J* W" F3 v( t7 e8 F- N
% G4 y. l6 B# v. D5 a! B. Y+ \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.8 }" f( W: X) \2 c
8 \) i9 E& y! S2 Q F; \5 i( 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.* b5 V( C v: m6 m0 Y7 E% o
( c) [- P: }9 a, i, g
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
/ Z# z4 j) k P) p, a
6 @4 ?, |! O2 j/ }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+ u, q8 v ^8 L; r9 h/ C0 ~" t8 N# Y9 J
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.
/ g; `$ d% o0 r' i4 N5 C p: h) N1 T* x" I% D+ X0 m+ b/ L; I
Burleton knows how they feel.1 e- m# q7 B% I+ t, k
, S. f; t; K: R1 C
"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.' b: ]9 v/ r2 s$ O& h1 t8 K
6 E! R0 s. X+ {, z: o" {; b
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.6 ]5 C4 k7 I, T9 [
7 J% P, g; ?7 n3 qWith 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 e5 C) Z& X+ \! F
+ t J6 o, f9 u1 C$ c1 o
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.
# v* Z. d# H' X' q- T$ k1 ~! Z' S" I
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.2 y2 Q) i4 E0 D. a* [/ p
& g+ j# g: X: l2 `; \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./ N9 {! d: Q$ j! _! Q
1 H) h9 n% \9 g, I. {% u* }5 UThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
0 G7 T: Y4 J! N3 z- ~( |4 E
% \7 m* s' N8 e5 D1 |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.
# x- {* d# K0 m3 s0 {& L. p5 d4 c
"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.1 p+ t- _( I$ W4 X" O! D4 l. ]! \
4 p1 j) n2 K0 M
"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."3 C! Y: ]9 w4 @2 a3 o. R* z
1 w: t" k9 [1 @$ ?' }8 r: Q1 b& l
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act." K2 s5 f5 l. V/ K- s& b/ C2 a
$ b) ?3 [7 K8 m' DBut 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. |
|