 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.1 O# e; R& }7 E7 f
& F6 f# ?+ a+ b6 L0 w4 D% Q$ R' a
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
8 g" |& A6 |, R
, s F; a X% f1 j0 s+ \3 UOTTAWA - 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.
% N# _# g5 a, A- ~# T `" \! ^5 _! Z- v7 b: V7 l/ F
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.
0 C, T, v3 |, a) M* C( A6 h4 d
. s) G/ u1 Q5 d5 S+ AIn 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.) y4 z. X) G% B- T( r
+ G. b! J, j! I( f) I+ ~Why might it be a good time to sell?1 r0 ?4 ~/ N0 m5 V
3 d2 I4 p5 _8 T3 J; l# m
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
! C3 q% A1 R$ z5 T. K
% z1 L, \9 g X7 Q" h& c"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.. g( C% ^3 u" h) Y p
* Z7 }; k+ Q( e$ }+ f. j- K"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.5 [& P0 m' t+ u6 T5 _- f$ W
/ z6 |. j \7 U# O& l9 K A/ d
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.. w) E V3 O f( C+ _- A
, B$ S0 }9 L5 F/ M2 ]0 n7 q: I. `+ ^0 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.& F2 `. K( i6 d) _4 u; p
- P8 M- J; b- k3 N- P3 z0 |' ABurleton knows how they feel.
7 e- d- c( j6 Z) Z; n4 P5 E9 l5 _* Z1 F- x3 L6 W. C7 j! O2 x
"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.
6 ?( I0 W7 Z0 a% n" ?" W
% @6 Y' A; p/ 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.
1 E6 u- s7 S$ D/ w/ C* \9 S- d. N
0 t4 O: H( r; ^0 I$ jWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
& {+ F1 O+ S/ J6 v. K
9 V9 W [7 l) u% P0 YAnd 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.. N% C+ l, a/ d$ Z7 F
6 S! V6 @8 R. t$ B$ c" S" [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.. p9 ]5 p& _7 H1 w; M! @
% G# H- Y2 X& d5 ^" |6 e* K' |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.
) i4 y0 f+ N! y$ |" m! {. X1 c$ m z" ]6 }' \
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.* ^1 L! c' R& y; Q
7 l+ f8 B. o; {- y- a5 ZDavid 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.
! S/ `: \$ S) G# F
3 ~6 d# G6 i# B"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.6 C/ j2 r; F' {7 F, S
$ T& `! w* P) ?"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."
' u: e' z. [ D( x" R, s# b4 }7 P1 ^5 u6 Z4 k2 _
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
0 l# T& ~% e' P: A9 l9 {" a- N& e) g( s H5 n& F) a4 i
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. |
|