 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.3 _- T- Q9 u+ x/ W8 X
: B6 \# v/ d! J$ |) ?8 jhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
$ e4 r6 j) r. m6 y9 [$ p: ^7 j& H; J6 o$ H1 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.# o2 u7 {1 ^3 R) s
4 j( n: a7 l. b$ i7 p& nPeople 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.
% Q3 g( q8 O; m; K+ W2 u4 b! E9 j `+ b1 b2 @2 ~4 r3 {# W9 Y
In 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 n3 ^- c% o7 _& Z$ k7 M' j
, {! R) {2 {' D0 LWhy might it be a good time to sell?2 x3 E' h! X- {5 h+ h
8 j0 g: K; j9 D) rAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.) d5 g# k3 l9 {+ k: \
: J) B- n1 Z3 W, |& b9 }* G/ d N"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- ^5 W3 I( u2 S5 n' u
3 Q, u$ J+ e: s+ ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. h: B5 @7 i! m% F" W/ y: [. }
* w/ n+ F9 U9 a: W6 j3 J
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.9 ~% _* x! y6 I l
- F9 k7 ?) l' |6 H1 }( Y6 L
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.
' d6 _ O9 k+ A `* o8 L& Z. u% o1 ?
9 e0 e" c) \7 _8 f6 ?5 O' h5 g1 c7 XBurleton knows how they feel.
$ @: V& U) C! k/ I Y' z: X* S2 {& E4 |# f
"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.' |+ G, C* _# _$ z4 @4 K
+ ^ a3 ?4 z5 B6 @5 eWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
5 l& f5 D" J' ?1 M5 R
& ]# o# G# B+ {. 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.
; O* J1 q2 w, X6 |/ l
% w4 |: ~; N" t$ Q- F2 ]9 t" rAnd 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.
: f0 f, Q; G( l$ \+ g3 Z' k' z
; `- R4 B+ u1 z [! @8 }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.9 p, C/ r7 D5 R. o) N
1 u0 e9 K0 J" h& q' jMeanwhile, 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.% U& @. ?5 o. t; x8 a* J% f
/ O. }* \# J! L7 G2 R1 [1 zThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
6 }7 i6 |# V" ~' v# I
: L. _ A1 g, w3 M: B, QDavid 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.
+ h5 j+ T; r) V5 `- f( p' [! d/ \2 ^
"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.
% c+ c* n) B: \2 T0 s
# o2 f& e* N3 v" w. W' `"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."/ s. r& B, c; Z* A. U& |. g' R t# M
2 S9 C$ e; z, {! Y. KThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
$ z' x- T* ^+ [6 ^6 H& v8 z5 p* b
$ y) J! y& o 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. |
|