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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.3 P; e& {' H8 S! Y- d$ E
# l# @% |4 i& G. K/ c2 Y& \# C1 B3 Ehttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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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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.
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" L r' f* B# G) cWhy might it be a good time to sell?+ P4 O& Y2 q3 D3 M; Z/ V
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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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"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.
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( _ I+ ^% ]% C: _: l. dThe 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.
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0 `' X* z6 ]; ZBurleton knows how they feel.* n7 A4 f8 A: S6 ?9 Y, f- }
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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.9 z% ~# o+ j. b# ~
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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.
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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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- R( ~6 q! Q: sAnd 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.6 m* D* A6 o, y0 c( _
' o3 C; g8 Y% p& h q$ rIn 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.+ R. O; T. q0 h8 ~: J
, @# Q7 W5 B6 }0 P& f4 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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.9 q/ l, g* F: H! r; x
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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.0 j+ ?9 n |9 \/ V2 K7 d; V
9 @3 T# Y+ T' E" g/ G"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. {4 p0 ^7 Z7 l% q% ~
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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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% k1 ]8 [: |/ {; U1 J! rThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.1 J v4 G9 w; q( R
4 x( i- C: O4 r8 pBut 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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