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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. X; F$ `2 U: m5 W3 F4 ?
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html* v% Y# Q% c7 C+ t* u
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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.
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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.& E( y8 }! V* |+ z- 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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; k0 r2 d# v6 U% M! y a# qAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 ~4 B7 ]( W5 d/ v$ Y
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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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.1 A/ e% b9 p# [3 r6 j
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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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$ [+ m; q! U( u$ V: R. }/ o+ BOf 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./ B4 s! N# }" x' d7 b& [: q0 V" D
" p# N# @: G" i( h# L% ^. b"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.
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. {0 J' I( x. \' l/ U* P3 |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.' o3 w9 s6 O+ w& c0 {
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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.
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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.0 f) N6 u6 W& l4 K/ f+ {
# _/ H- R( l, g1 D- G$ w1 OIn 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./ g. k2 q o( }* C7 |' }
/ p# g; E' _# |1 m" S) U: oMeanwhile, 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./ M" Y* r: u' a' X4 D8 ?5 k
5 H: z" [3 }9 X- kThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.
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! w3 o3 o1 y& S! 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.
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"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."' h7 N, m" g+ u; A: r d
. F {3 P1 J% o9 H$ c' L& f* HThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.' J0 `, x" q5 Z: n& e
& Y+ `% \, _" |4 V9 NBut 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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