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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 ^; o4 {% R7 D! t4 I# U& x, m3 J
5 b' e: t8 c* h% OOTTAWA - 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.' u- K7 U- E- b
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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.
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- O7 P( A2 c, C8 c. p& lIn 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.
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1 G: X0 U, c9 l$ \& s rWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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6 J8 `! I2 Z9 n0 X) E$ o"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.' t: @) o( @1 Z% S! n1 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.8 z; g1 K1 [. m! E3 T; y
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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.
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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.2 D/ c4 M5 D5 ^+ w$ ~5 s2 M$ R4 m
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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( h; U: s- u7 d: A, A1 k1 q1 E8 O"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 Z7 d6 U: Y0 _. ]- u2 s" d
- A. W/ I/ n3 F9 k0 u5 \6 G5 }! LWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.0 [0 d9 W1 ~2 q" x+ H f& a. Q3 T" E5 H
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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.2 t' ~* }7 m8 X* p4 D" h6 ], j
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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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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.' ?+ X% a7 C, u. U. U1 F4 R3 [
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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.; S, o: V& M V& ~% Z/ P
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 S0 A9 {0 c! U/ V& p. W
% p( u7 [3 l# b# g( iDavid 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.7 N6 y. v, \% }' f$ S; W! L0 T3 ^
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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." B# ?2 V ~* H( x6 r6 p7 b
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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."+ \% \: f- M$ i2 U7 I& A; V
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.7 O8 ]# C9 W; D0 p6 x. v
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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. |
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