 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ M# z$ K* l# k* w% U' v1 b
' a+ _6 r( a& q6 O) K+ C7 D
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html+ R: @5 f- w8 {! Y5 p! Q. Z
& f; V1 `( `( P" V/ H) {1 U
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.
; L7 N& D- W: \# d5 P! R+ d; L5 e" D: f* j
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.( B. o" Y4 `0 F; u6 O
- ^8 ]; L. ~ O$ o J) ^
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.
_- D; S1 f* o7 Y/ d" c- g; ^' N" g- k4 d0 Q1 \$ I5 t( p
Why might it be a good time to sell?
/ q- r% ~$ a ]
0 y& c7 k( N% h+ P j* zAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
; i) g# }1 Q6 o; x: b- {5 U- g$ \
! a2 Y, U x/ `$ 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.& @- g/ n q& Z3 U6 u L' n
0 D$ h( v1 n/ |8 I/ R E5 ?"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
* O) Z# b* t- p9 {: G+ P! |/ a& i% f$ U2 `* f5 Q
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.$ ?2 b6 s8 h* H. h, z5 J
3 p; I# {6 |" a4 c, b: X: pOf 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.
# i2 A/ e4 E# z$ x, {. c+ D( t4 p, b9 s# C) c7 z) D
Burleton knows how they feel.
9 z+ A8 o1 N) l) \- l4 \6 f1 P0 }) Q+ J# 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.
# [/ R3 g! u( p% Y' i6 Y! j4 G6 K. U
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.3 j7 J+ _6 h* I6 }7 A7 n
* k, D, v9 O& o! x% O. VWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.7 ?6 a( n- C. m( t' E
& ~5 d! T: _$ E1 [% r- |1 \
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.
0 g N4 ~1 M8 F7 ?/ j7 X1 }# s2 b0 w1 F* ^# X% G5 J5 ~5 }
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.
" p. v- Z* @+ @- t$ _, ^ @* S% x5 e6 M3 N( z* ^# b
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.( r3 n; ^6 R) P+ B/ N
/ R! c# n6 q8 E- g4 W/ }" t* n* G
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.' a2 C! L! s" L% g$ p, n- O
R& D8 ?5 Y, s: F+ K2 \* q# Z6 S' B
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., v1 t' w- |& \" t$ m/ @
4 |1 N% K& }: N0 {+ n2 A
"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.
1 n2 y2 [0 B7 ^2 k8 F
" f2 c% ~! h( {9 H"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' U6 e& c6 y
6 z+ ~# z T2 I. M: J4 }The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.5 [. X9 l$ g5 r' m, ?
! ^/ n2 ^$ Y! i- N9 g. Z. BBut 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. |
|