 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
M. z! k$ E2 Z2 @+ _1 k
" V, G0 ^* k* khttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ f) j2 z- X: W- F
# O" [8 e/ }8 dOTTAWA - 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$ R: I1 O& g" M4 c/ }
! V& x5 L1 C( o% o2 b
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.# e! |# ?$ l: @& X
' v4 ~5 ^! o9 O# r
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.$ f L, J' k5 j
% s+ A7 t, {7 g G. gWhy might it be a good time to sell?
& n" a) Q3 S) k& {1 F+ S4 K5 t
! t$ ? n# A C" XAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
5 d8 y0 Y$ o B
6 a7 r) s( x, g; {, @1 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.
, y) j) J6 F6 K0 x8 {& S" p8 L; U; f2 } Y, ~: ^* U* ?" _
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
3 K! H, u. n0 D1 ?- A4 m+ J/ Q: u% S3 ]
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.
1 F& ?$ K9 `1 M7 Y6 T1 ^8 g; D7 u( B# s1 G; G7 F! s8 p
Of 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.
) P2 h4 v1 J; ~" G ?
: @+ M+ E. y" NBurleton knows how they feel.
6 K5 n O" u2 }4 I
6 a1 ^5 C2 g: ^$ y% j"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.2 i$ \( [) N- |2 S6 ?9 z, i
9 Y( H2 q6 J! N5 q& \8 AWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
; g0 b& z+ W+ Y* V4 Z: t; O! l% i# c; x8 Y! ?
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.
- S: G2 @& Y: s4 q& e# \, @7 @5 \/ O
2 W9 W$ ]. j6 C. KAnd 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 R' S7 D0 {& M9 @# T+ I. o T) m
: n# c7 A4 q3 d+ m: R- l& cIn 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.
$ v* Y% Q9 q/ i$ a6 m
# k: v+ |6 L& Q( }6 uMeanwhile, 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.
8 m# z/ {/ q$ E [( G+ n
- z' U+ ~; W4 }; e6 P1 sThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
8 V4 L8 C" K7 W1 A8 d; Q9 _0 x! B, S3 ?1 z" J/ I* K; {2 U* w7 k
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.& U; i* N# s) d" b5 P! Q0 A
@1 b+ X& h d5 w {5 j' G
"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.
; B d; z3 Y9 u5 i8 _( K- L/ y" l R5 H* s5 q
"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."
6 F! q" D9 M4 H2 |6 {
; m: }. _- y6 J6 n) FThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& Y% y8 N& t: Q6 `5 S, Y
- D8 _, |+ L3 b: Q$ _' [2 a! _: kBut 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. |
|