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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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9 Q( z1 W- {* t0 g; L! y/ u% ihttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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1 v4 _" h) \* sOTTAWA - 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.# s1 O3 {& R, m: n3 {& z' `+ T
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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.
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+ h u7 K+ N U; b7 HIn 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?3 n0 n3 n7 k4 ?
# n" l) V) i3 U' sAt 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." ]8 V3 B& Z) S( E. b
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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.
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1 \1 K% g0 N& b; S0 }, K( wThe 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.8 K( N' Q. ~1 `& b
( t& v0 @+ h5 Y4 rBurleton knows how they feel.) C3 x# }2 T: W( M
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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.
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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.8 w" W6 X" d& X' Y' p: L6 l
3 D' }# U1 `; I" w9 z) 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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* N6 u0 N% l9 ?# ?' f3 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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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.
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7 G! i$ p3 d( y: j& C, zMeanwhile, 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.
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O( {2 i+ i9 R! R& o8 uThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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" Y% t' v% k% T: p/ q* P* kDavid 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.+ }, `6 W9 L0 m' m
* D5 s$ \4 I9 J7 g3 F/ u! ["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.! w: w' u" ]7 ~0 k
) e& P9 O, u' w1 O# ~/ I5 x5 e1 O/ Y"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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# M5 P/ E8 |5 c. c& fBut 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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