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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.& M: u- k& n( f t
8 j4 a5 p7 C8 l8 @ w% l1 Chttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html3 t6 |6 S) X3 O" |6 [4 f
9 n v& P; c3 g' c. P, ?& j6 u% UOTTAWA - 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.
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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.# k( V6 F# H9 f
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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.) B1 j; \6 c- `
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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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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) s% Q! e: Z+ [3 E# N"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.2 |: j4 T9 u- q; S/ g4 H
$ |% Z* e1 N1 G: F! I/ P8 ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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& L$ c$ j+ n9 @8 L1 C+ b( C' U. kThe 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.: f0 `' R. d e& a4 ~' [' R1 n
- x/ L0 S' ?/ w% J& G. B, oOf 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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Burleton knows how they feel.2 O5 O( _" ?' d- T# s
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"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.% q) {% d- Z. K$ }' U
3 r! [3 T1 n2 Y+ VWhile 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 Z/ a3 @: |4 ?, Q S
8 S5 J. U7 m% m3 W+ ]/ w0 W$ l* 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.
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* L' l) s; C$ T; F- U9 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.
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' b/ N" Q' \. q9 u- k3 l4 A& [' PIn 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.7 |' r- a7 g! `7 l# t5 j+ u+ {$ Q6 n0 ~
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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. o3 u6 T" _% c3 e" ^3 D3 B
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.: Y/ ~1 K2 N: d3 p
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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.$ d, R# Y& F. f; q7 r
/ t7 p; U9 b3 n( t! ?, m"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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4 b* _( l6 e! f& S/ E1 Q! e"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."
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. L9 z; {# H5 X8 m4 T/ zThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 U l5 n. A2 F" b, O6 A
! y, L7 ? B' a' [5 }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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