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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html4 D. c% R4 [& i% p+ j" u8 N" |% r
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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." m( c( u. f Y
3 r. {6 W; n( B9 MPeople 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.& N: i. }- k8 z
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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. k/ S+ _+ a; j( w
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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1 ^* I/ u: a/ l1 m J) J4 j9 P4 mAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets., r! e3 Q; {2 K) {) L
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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2 |9 b1 s, s5 v! W+ L G"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 k6 | H; N8 W# U
0 m# x# c* j6 H, Z8 nThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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- T) M+ P" b) s( T, yBurleton knows how they feel.2 F$ C& m! p+ g
* G }$ S {8 a! ~8 m. o4 N"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.4 B* t% v7 B X! ^
; r+ A ~- V5 t2 Q% 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.* o1 J& R4 Y. g( g1 g' {2 F1 G. g
& D. n ?; c) H& 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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# ]( z! h( {) s6 lAnd 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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In 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.1 d( n3 A8 x3 F3 {. O6 B
" B$ Q X, Z* c- p2 m. xMeanwhile, 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.# s1 v: ~7 D, T1 `. ^' e
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That 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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"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. ^% f6 ]( k' C U
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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."7 ?3 t/ A: X0 W0 i! W* n0 y+ A! t
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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