 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.9 e# m6 T, t1 k0 R5 {
3 B( z' }3 b* L+ v5 g+ x; s, x) s
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html7 g$ u: o( p, e3 B7 y" z6 c- N
7 U0 V2 G1 X' @/ ]# b
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.9 t* J5 m3 e% A
! H: {, h* D, C N9 v: f
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.
% o/ B/ @" J a
$ R# q1 m3 v7 s8 p4 F' z2 M* KIn 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.
6 K& o1 n6 ^3 ?% w2 @
# F1 `5 D$ ]1 \Why might it be a good time to sell?% h+ a* M+ L8 z3 [8 X
d- R- W' A) E8 ?* Z( ~ HAt 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.* X K- h6 D* Q6 y
# j) m, S" y6 s"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.% a) D2 v* a: M; k4 |' A2 R
# D; R3 v4 F3 d9 a. j"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., O/ ]* m: F& e" f! ?9 J
, _9 @8 X% G# ]/ K0 u
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.6 Q, \9 {8 \; O3 M/ t. \
$ N1 K7 i1 c7 h1 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.
3 t. r# R& P- p" [5 V% U5 s" T/ P& R: P
Burleton knows how they feel.. [! g2 A3 i4 V3 N7 n3 ?, b4 F
) U0 h: V, v8 `
"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.
5 C/ ?1 O" X9 r4 R/ L6 k% d/ S/ `9 K T/ Y2 ]
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.
6 C9 P8 i3 y# m5 x8 y( @* _9 u u; e/ I: m, @7 N
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., |- b, A& l' e& r3 O( B5 D$ H
2 e# \8 E/ k/ n0 Y# c
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.: r" u- \9 @- q! w9 f
. k. ^3 h0 O/ k2 ?' x7 g- q
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.% V5 |/ W7 U! K8 \4 ]0 p! i& x
1 s% t' e/ d |1 \5 \: E0 W. T P
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 d% ?8 e7 E3 }- c# Y' ~+ U
^4 d+ U2 B, _: d0 X; y. Z' J: [4 [That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 w7 ^+ V- T4 h% `- e
1 g; r( L3 m/ y2 @3 B" h) o
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.3 _- G) O7 }3 P( L7 ?" t- \
: l. `- |1 Z, q$ R"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./ d9 P J4 i, b9 F/ j/ [1 ?
[" c1 b/ p% U8 k) r# R; u"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.". \) B: A! c# z' K- m2 q
. p' v- o2 n6 R1 R" f O
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 n5 K* j9 m: V; W: z4 x9 T
; w D0 D$ H7 y: M" m4 m- ~
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. |
|