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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.html! ]5 k+ V2 o. K
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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.4 J! U7 S4 z7 p; z
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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.% `, Q- p- j5 S0 }' X8 t4 P. @
# F1 K M8 L: p5 O- c: P* xIn 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) c! M# T) y V6 b" o
4 u1 B2 E8 _% z. q; }Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.- p$ z' J- y" y L6 n4 g
( S c* }' Q8 D: M* r"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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! Y9 W5 P/ K( }3 B3 g4 z( A* p"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 W$ R! C6 _; C, E7 y6 Y
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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.$ ]& D, f, w5 O B0 i' L \
$ Y9 G* x7 t% Q9 a4 Y3 DOf 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.0 Q2 Q0 f1 |7 @4 K6 d
, R1 v2 W5 W% yBurleton knows how they feel.
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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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3 c8 i4 v. M& 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.! I' Z$ [" {) B. E. t4 M& C
, ?- ^1 m4 h% n* sWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.5 ^' J# q/ c7 }) Z6 I& S
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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.
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3 ?6 s2 D; p& @, S1 AIn 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.7 }3 t( i5 \/ n
! l# t) C& L2 M aMeanwhile, 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.7 I O5 ^/ R3 \ Y! m2 j! t
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 K2 D. d: X6 W$ }7 Y- l/ `
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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.
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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.": T9 a6 g+ T! q
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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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