 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., j: f: n) |" u3 Z' H
( E5 L6 F) K* b: O6 N5 s
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
' s5 p/ E) Z3 ^* V! l! v Y5 W% P3 _
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.
3 a5 U5 Q& d# b; t) |1 n
% D: N5 z4 w. [8 y( q7 b8 U q# F, sPeople 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.
: I% B5 Q3 X+ Z! c. e, @
8 n1 K2 s6 V+ F4 |% {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., |4 P0 f9 m# S: Z- r. O9 ^
) t" f5 U! u) \& MWhy might it be a good time to sell?
7 c: ]; j& F& j1 ^- v
5 {& [& N2 `# S' Z/ W( ^- BAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.6 s9 W2 o( J/ O5 u$ T
9 ?4 i4 v, I! 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.
' M: v# ]* U( }$ M* l5 r0 g. _0 u% m; l: g' g: s
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( `( J! Z. S# \6 e, b# u4 N# ^: x
/ t8 I) ~8 G& m3 k
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.& M6 [ t+ z/ l4 S& H. J2 z, r
0 M+ x: F9 p0 @; k# _8 m
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.
5 W! N' S6 d: E+ D8 n( L6 n2 B' q5 w% Y
Burleton knows how they feel.* S0 C# o: j; {1 ?8 g
* J( c$ X8 x* s1 H s$ g"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.+ {( [& H% N Q( k! D0 j' G
t! n9 D( J! A9 WWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.- Y7 J) w% v3 V/ s- |# f6 t4 a1 P
/ g$ K. A0 I+ V2 Q. W" 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.: t- [# X7 `3 I( x# C2 w7 o: f
2 K; n' E0 J$ J M5 {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.9 x; t1 n K; L
9 A, J( v% K. ]- U* HIn 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.
1 a& @$ L, p. F9 U& F `/ p% |% S1 v8 ^7 I0 G& V/ u) R
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.
4 O0 ^* u/ _* J0 Z! u$ p: X; n4 D* @& @0 ^$ Z1 E
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.& I/ q% B% Q+ Y3 r+ x
! P- c9 X0 S" h8 }8 V2 sDavid 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.3 u# r! Q+ p8 T6 {& K$ ~% B
, Z1 | M' w- Z Q, P6 t"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.: n2 s: I- a2 d" c# j& \# U2 `6 N( {* q
" o; ]* }7 q; [5 u' _
"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."
6 x* E. u7 F# N5 Q) g+ m) g, j
' I" L0 I$ S2 ]The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act., s s- C3 d Y& E k5 n" v
7 h8 R# j5 [1 c/ G7 N$ [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. |
|