 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.0 b+ J, ~. \! ^8 Q
# b7 @& k6 b5 b# y) [3 b$ W
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
; T& i- _% j L
% I* A/ o; N1 W; q+ Q- p9 S. e8 oOTTAWA - 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.; P6 w, S! B/ m7 Y
! s3 V, c8 O# f$ nPeople 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.* L" X; [ Y- H# \$ k9 B$ T* \ d
0 E9 s6 E3 I5 L' 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.4 u! l5 X$ z7 u' s8 R
- @! V4 t( k/ b! D& t/ K# t5 I
Why might it be a good time to sell?
2 ?% Q$ r: ]& {7 S+ b
& \4 S3 J: c" W5 g4 cAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
# ?% Y) M9 r |5 ]* R% b. n/ M n1 `7 Z
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
/ F9 c- F% T+ N9 x8 j. T
5 ~9 h7 @* F* U v) a2 F; }" x"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.: l- ^+ \+ x t( n1 _
4 i6 k, I( n3 z7 t/ dThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.# ^3 V+ J2 w* I$ v) b- E
% `* \/ x- l, v! G* v. NOf 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.6 J) m9 l" i/ \- ~
! D% Q1 A# y' Q5 [+ {
Burleton knows how they feel.
3 r9 _! v6 y- ^6 a8 K; B$ _$ T9 Z+ e5 r2 x7 w7 E2 I
"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.
" V0 S: l2 L1 i. F* M1 R7 n6 Z) h* x' C) Q2 \0 ^. D. o
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.$ K( g% U( v9 W A# @# i
' L! L% w$ H5 {' f9 R( N2 a2 J
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.
* @& |: b( X* y
+ y1 c u X9 ?. D) _' eAnd 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.
& Y7 t8 W$ h4 R" J9 N
2 M3 ]0 G* M# O3 q- f iIn 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.
5 k* h/ y1 W7 ~ I; J3 j, l6 }/ d
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.; n: Z! o1 y) \+ d8 ~( s" I) i
* e* b) y! C& r7 y
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 j( L) v) d) A4 p
f* z7 w3 K3 W5 o0 L' a7 l
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.. i m$ A- ]# R4 @" h. f! L* f3 ~
+ s# F1 K* q% F7 t+ p# D/ [
"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.
' X# h* C C, b U4 [ @
3 M0 s* T5 i6 t K"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.". Q1 w h3 {% A( d9 m, _1 z
( b2 |" \2 Y1 J5 b) X( f
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: w; d1 Y/ e! K5 b
* P/ c0 p! ]; y- \3 @7 F, QBut 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. |
|