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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.0 O2 m# C1 K! X [7 k: O6 Q
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 M M; r. a1 B! F; G6 L
) X" \7 N& w" H3 h6 t3 Y8 d* WOTTAWA - 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.& i" q+ N) Z5 S
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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 ?; R( T5 u# L( l( E
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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.+ M/ s A6 u! _7 \# `9 x7 P/ B" U
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Why might it be a good time to sell?4 | s( Q0 V6 T& e
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* \! ]1 `: V( k5 p1 A
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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4 e% A! L; m& U& l"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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9 y2 b) A! ~# D1 ~; O+ M3 y: ^The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.7 j: y7 S) C! p
+ {/ z& P* [+ A5 XOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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& a2 h' w9 O |! d F+ B2 l Z& w# N"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.2 f9 C4 a$ J1 d6 H" C8 I
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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.4 [* J0 Q X4 l; w9 M% g& w! l$ o6 x7 j
0 \1 W& F5 O- I# t# T% O, gWith 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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% m) X' k0 X( C) Q: |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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, F: y; F3 `! F$ D+ T+ h- H& ]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./ A/ ?7 c0 S4 J# H2 d( D# j+ L+ ~
0 N, d8 G2 P8 t: C: Y; k$ KMeanwhile, 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./ `3 d( K; q5 y" L* ~
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# T& Z: m4 H+ Z3 M+ V
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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. N7 H. m* |+ w$ p: v: ^
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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.+ T# b n. P4 b1 K0 k
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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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! t& i/ {$ `) d! J8 S# o$ l" n- a* ?The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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1 z% y' t* P2 X7 @/ |* P5 b# uBut 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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