 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
* g4 j2 v5 U9 Y) R5 ^" H( {/ e
/ L& v* ] D4 s7 c# h# S, E1 ?2 M6 }http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; r$ V8 I# i+ J$ b3 M" D
! X' @& l( h5 H: o7 ~. w# n! ?) r. Y
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./ A5 w$ I+ V+ L3 A) ~( x/ o
5 Q4 a, p4 Y, r) W9 V
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.: X( y1 k1 V4 [7 U% ^! O9 \ I
$ `/ Y& p$ E! k' P* i1 S4 @
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./ h: p3 P6 K3 _/ f$ O9 `2 ~5 w8 S
, I1 ?+ _/ v2 Y% |Why might it be a good time to sell?+ F9 T8 q# v! U7 @: d3 m' I( y- G7 @* ^+ _
& i; ?( Y* L2 r0 M: L+ ~+ f' G1 R
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.
; W) K1 O0 E; J% c
e x% t& a3 c" c2 n; 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.
2 z' K1 H8 P1 P5 {% k+ O
( T) [5 t( ] b0 g"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
e2 ?8 P) J1 t; g/ c
: F( V. z2 m d) }/ CThe 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.5 y n3 M a5 {, M- Y2 E; s8 c' I
) J3 b+ p7 L) C# \( I$ b+ 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.
! a: c( F- E" J. x3 f( J- }* c1 X4 U; p2 s; c/ X, w8 p4 W, A+ e
Burleton knows how they feel.
2 t( z3 b! B, \* s; G6 s! x3 b) K3 D# q. e+ f
"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.
$ Z' d2 K% [, F5 i; @) f' _
, M& v* @' T* R$ AWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
. Q* `4 b' l# G* k. P# ] r8 ~: f+ {. z5 A1 t2 J* i! K
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.
# o# I9 [) l- u
0 q& r; N. T( t* m9 \1 D2 ~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.
5 [# g) _ o% a# x! ]2 M. R" l0 m- \- N! k! V
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.6 T& c1 c3 A3 x+ e7 j
% ~8 N9 A( Q' rMeanwhile, 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.
) a4 e1 h: P( Z$ G" e/ W% N( C* i8 E% |0 L9 Y; r" `- r. o
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
% ?0 \; w: u0 U) ^" [; m( B8 ]) U5 ?% H5 l& K
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.
; v9 g' h5 I+ ^+ l- |! E; j6 |+ g8 B/ X) |2 j4 E; e: Y. W4 F) u
"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.$ U! O" [+ d" D7 |' F
) J- N, y# u' J% 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."
: m7 D5 H& ]( E B- ^6 z3 C" P7 Z
0 |; Z* G" E+ Z- {& T& ]. r# ]The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
& L P0 @2 }; h s- z* K S% p* H
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. |
|