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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- C9 n: q$ `( a' E2 h
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, l2 i+ J7 k9 y3 W- M7 ] {: {* ]
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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.
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: R; @9 e8 a+ Y5 y' @4 _) RPeople 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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" u* d3 N/ Y S4 Z1 v" vIn 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.( o! L8 c4 W# i( o
3 z& f- g. n S3 z; W/ G9 j) AWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. j- K0 R; Q- |/ |
4 i4 v; [! c) w0 {* e- Q0 r" r8 e"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.6 d O: J) ]/ S' ~( E2 M
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.- [$ |, C* C* B$ T
/ x" d; U/ }! k/ N* v/ N+ c! jThe 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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' n$ w9 Z! H: A8 l, UOf 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.4 L; V; b9 b0 m. W; W( H. i4 n
3 t! `# c, L% E, `7 E9 G/ BBurleton 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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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.
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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.
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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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0 m+ w/ [0 w+ |0 r) Y& s( Y( Q: NIn 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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* H0 y0 ?! l9 p, C' wMeanwhile, 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.# S# _$ J/ f" V* l7 x
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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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& W# a+ C& u7 B U/ Q$ e, r* I" 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.2 r1 ]5 m& p$ b8 V$ O8 [
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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.& A9 U# z' u" ]8 {
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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."
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/ ]% J5 q- @" Z/ dThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: m1 Y7 F7 {0 q1 L
9 D8 W1 j2 y$ S8 nBut 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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