 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖./ ? P. Y5 A0 Q# l$ Y9 b- k4 o7 J7 J
+ n, a: u) `1 \& z' a8 u, S, o; Q
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
1 a3 _5 Y; J. b% ?3 c5 F' m& L& D4 Z: Q" a
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." q& w% u' b( Y4 f( B! s9 q7 C9 E$ S) J
1 ?# {8 _' k) i+ K
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.: A% z* [; \8 g! t# |1 _
, _+ c" V1 \9 Q2 l5 D/ ZIn 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.
/ i1 |' C$ {$ e& j1 w
2 x# o1 N! M8 A6 o; W7 b+ ]Why might it be a good time to sell?
2 N4 h c# s& V
[) B' `' W$ x% u& ZAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets., {, Q+ [8 r# O: Y
1 ?0 t- `4 k5 ~. f9 M. K2 s4 O
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
6 g6 f/ ]; m. j% v& c. A6 j8 U7 Z$ j7 r4 f4 m
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
. A! G5 G9 c! f" u9 Q2 E) J
; H3 y! H) Y* Q5 ?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.# h! f1 \; E; k1 P, `9 U
* l/ }$ {5 N2 M
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.+ k# y& ~) e6 y8 l3 Q# ~6 X- x
! J# ~) C4 k7 s$ \: m# v: lBurleton knows how they feel.8 b: {$ b. N; |1 c- r2 F7 W; v
0 E0 _ R) [. \
"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.
& U$ {9 {2 j0 \' ]
1 ^* M& H2 D P. E: D. uWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.: w+ B: _, H$ i3 j
3 F( j, r( |) j! IWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
' i+ X Z* M0 v/ Q+ I- J2 G+ B/ |4 h
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.
7 G' t; w" m8 i# P* Z3 k; v! v2 p! T
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.
5 K W6 P8 C% x; F: F- h: X; I# n2 w' J4 b4 N& u
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.
0 I+ }# C% ~6 ?/ Z/ u$ w9 M; h. y( W' A* r6 z
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.8 t3 V& {6 J& |! }/ R9 G
& |8 u) f2 X1 d8 }( [& q; pDavid 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." a+ Q7 b+ P0 P5 G0 H9 r
2 v. k- g9 z# S2 o* M( t
"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.
# \2 t; |* \2 E3 K4 @% W0 o8 L/ B% ~4 K Y0 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."3 e( ?$ h& s7 z' `, Q/ m
/ m* [. }: x3 n; IThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act. }- T$ e) {$ f6 b7 |; p4 h
6 @. _8 |( n, J+ A) k7 K8 D! ]: {2 [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. |
|