 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.) p1 ^( V9 d; v- B+ m
5 V; x" c) X/ o& C rhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html& N# U1 `2 R3 N0 x8 w7 v4 p; ]
3 s# o0 v" Q" c# t8 YOTTAWA - 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.: E W' ~. r6 T- [3 X: w1 m) W4 ]
' U( E7 K% a- D( C
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.8 ^5 s+ p9 ~- I, ~* j
, O) i' R+ F9 F' Q: rIn 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.
/ v& J" {) Y$ o" X: V% Y* z9 X" Q! _ ]2 Z
Why might it be a good time to sell?4 o, C3 J+ y- i- k6 }, C( o: T
4 G8 _. E3 C% |: Z! ^* E( k
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
4 _0 q7 L E' }% f0 ?# Q; ^4 l8 P6 h! v0 f
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
5 c1 k- T# P6 m& m. G. C0 x% @
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 y, E; a, O2 |, I3 M( K) q
* W- h d0 J* i6 W# DThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
5 Q# x; W0 R( E' e7 ^
9 J: l, l% l4 b: ^ sOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
) C% Q" D+ _2 h4 \4 M; K' T
) R0 L' E' g0 B; XBurleton knows how they feel.- }0 ^3 Z: B8 M+ Y3 l
: d3 P% g* }1 q
"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
/ g+ K8 j7 Z' m. q# T1 P9 u- A
r6 ^% X$ Q X# }" WWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.# C r% z& E0 `7 p. g
& P9 G9 I$ r9 q* M
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.
" L8 V: e/ f7 R7 \; Q' A+ D
& o' J% X) o8 w( b) C" i) Q5 rAnd 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.
; W& U/ n( X8 o S; P: R- n1 M5 L
$ m2 |& _; d" t/ f' l) YIn 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.3 {/ s% s( t- n# u4 G) N! f
3 X" ^9 R! m' p1 Y" \2 A- Q% X
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 u9 ?" ] ?$ r& G
$ b9 X6 |$ P7 N- }1 X# Z! EThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
4 c" t' z" }- D4 I) T( `8 q; Z' x3 k' C- b/ J' f! @ a3 Y
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.
1 W7 M0 Q4 V6 O$ K
3 l8 g) W$ z9 [) n |& \# {( x+ 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.
+ |6 D1 }. `6 S- \% z9 \0 k7 Q+ \& [9 x0 _0 Z
"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."+ M! ?. V$ s. u% M
2 D/ J7 n" p* T1 ~0 b
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
. C# C4 `( m; v8 w8 B* V9 O: \8 k' k* a/ T
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. |
|