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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ R) t6 j$ i: Z+ |8 q# q3 I( n
& _6 D4 X+ M8 T( n. N2 [http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.1 O7 N; [4 _- `, L! i6 p- P1 N6 p
) |; f d$ w5 s1 A' P' PPeople 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.
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e' P, a; E A `1 j/ y& PIn 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.4 U. u3 j8 P" o# r3 a) v) E" P S
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Why might it be a good time to sell?, E0 q3 k6 I" o) O, z
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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: P* F. X9 S3 e, K8 n"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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& b, G+ J* |- C1 L% V$ Y7 S+ y" X) XOf 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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1 C- o& q6 I* ~# O3 QBurleton knows how they feel.
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; w- I1 a$ J$ k8 ^1 T2 L"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. ^6 ?3 W* D9 R1 j
4 s# h) `7 b- k5 HWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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! ?. K' k, e$ P0 t3 _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 ~& m9 x0 ^9 E J3 o6 ^0 r
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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.: C. q$ x2 Z% e2 T) T E
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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." ~- ?9 O: |/ X6 o
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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.
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, r q$ [( Q; ZThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# Z1 C5 B; N( M3 A' N6 I
$ d/ H- U* {+ TDavid 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.7 X; p8 R* l0 V U' G
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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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5 J: q; [3 T) }"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."4 ^" j) x8 c) a! Y5 x
8 }/ G8 v0 E# Q6 T4 y. ?3 z0 I; 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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