 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
$ `2 d. w n5 {* b- i5 Z R" L, C# s" b
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 _* C. Z" a- h X+ n/ F' L
8 ^0 H5 ^! Q: d( L. k4 p4 B
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.; U" }5 k9 `+ s% `
% p s; \ z3 g# t3 i
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.9 D" K5 p6 X; p
. @+ P7 L% t5 p3 H4 i& 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.
% @7 F% T* C( s( A; q& m2 s/ |0 [3 _" {. N6 @7 H; W
Why might it be a good time to sell?8 ~1 i# z; _: R" I+ v, l) T% k
/ R ]% w, [, C5 f8 G$ TAt 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.
" F: w; P& I! E1 u6 X5 _7 M- l7 z" ]! G0 \
"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.
$ g3 N* H3 Q: f- L
3 ]- c* g+ ^: R, [; m) L5 R"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. m( \! G$ Z4 ]
" f7 u. Q1 V: L/ h7 NThe 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.
& s) r k. x7 m5 ]! n0 S) c
8 ]) A' f3 t! D* z+ 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.3 F4 s$ W' A9 W& k
' A* W7 m* Z' p$ l C3 F( }
Burleton knows how they feel.& L7 B- ?1 K" S8 n, R
$ g7 t; q4 e; e J, T0 S"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 O; K. N( b3 f( U7 L& W( }2 c- U- [
& v/ i) `" `) ?. ~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.+ a+ R g7 q- G/ i. Z7 S
# k& X8 W6 g* N# Y) @- C5 E* W9 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.* r$ l# j7 s7 p' T4 I0 o- w' d0 X6 `
3 V) N2 p! T" ?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 C2 q" q. X: O, P, x
. `& P1 }0 k% L- n7 a0 ?8 x' A& QIn 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.
, Q1 V0 t/ J) U' W N! [$ c" q' u( R+ D$ U/ N; r8 `
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 ]( g1 f- } o4 |5 n& _. x* T' r0 d) K# j3 m' f
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.* ^4 K" a& x: ?! X& j9 v! ]- N( c
c: S6 G& c$ }5 LDavid 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.
9 ^2 Y( z, ~9 R- U+ M+ _' e$ @
"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.
! e% ]: `2 l* Y9 N) r
0 W; L. S9 E1 _"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."
7 k. J m0 [. r$ {( }2 M3 X
6 \) W0 V1 K- IThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
1 |. b9 a( I! ?& p
& Y, g* M1 y3 P: XBut 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. |
|