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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖." R3 o5 T1 o1 u. w; ?& m6 T
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 `. t7 ?1 f. m
: X8 i. [! U( v$ V( K* f# ?0 o5 D1 ~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.
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) \# f. N& }: O0 a' j( a% h n' ^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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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." W, c4 K* W' r5 H; G+ h( [
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Why might it be a good time to sell?7 D/ a$ z. K4 Q
9 d* X4 y* O3 {: a, d lAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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^8 C M: w- i& O0 c"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 s& ~3 `, `+ l* I
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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, I. I! o! u: q4 GOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.! w* J8 Z" ]2 y( R9 J, @$ f! d" w
" H$ v9 Q9 A. Z( c, tWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way., R$ z/ g! V0 B+ s ^3 M
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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.
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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.
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: W0 x, w& u3 f YMeanwhile, 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.0 b. ~% r2 Y- K) t& @) X
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- ?1 r; G; K8 L0 b
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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.
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8 Q8 f4 w0 E) }- M+ C1 j"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.
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) c4 D* l7 j/ Y/ Z! O"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.8 d3 `: b8 O1 X3 a' a# b# R9 j
+ g4 F7 ~# w" R6 w z( JBut 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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