 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. }3 h- O/ `$ m: v6 e( N* Z
A* R! A. G W: f3 ^http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html/ z. a/ G; W( \
( A8 Y/ t. Z; P( m- _0 ~
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.
+ u) H+ \' D6 F8 p7 M8 [4 u
7 G# D' w" q/ C9 s3 z+ `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.
/ Q7 X& y D1 F0 u) e2 f% n: ^6 G
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.+ r9 N) b& \: n2 `. ^
. n; N1 h9 [, t$ y g
Why might it be a good time to sell?- Z7 K5 P" ?3 U0 u, w& U3 \) V" C
3 l# ~/ L: q6 K+ GAt 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/ L7 I0 U" j# G- K
% \! t- |; ]* ?"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.1 T* J3 V8 V5 J1 O& J4 r
$ b8 u9 i/ X* J8 R* m( L, K"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. s5 }$ J( z8 ~
% {- C6 a. a' |+ R |
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.
% P% n6 I; x9 L6 a3 V9 t2 M
8 K# B% @2 |; h5 UOf 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.
q$ c1 h3 E* L1 d( m
0 Z! k: o7 \9 Z9 P/ wBurleton knows how they feel.
0 v1 W4 y! E4 D; [' g
- S4 i! W& l; d+ q6 k! ~. O0 d"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.$ m, B9 F$ m# E4 S4 G; ?5 ?
) @; H% S8 ?. c9 D* {5 a6 w
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.
* @* _$ j3 r' ^
1 K% C' d. B5 H" ?- U" yWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.0 R; U. `2 J" w/ x' T6 n
) O/ F. \% h8 ~/ b+ }0 T
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.
, j {1 k7 G4 t9 \: r8 z- Y* K9 y% q: d2 i0 c
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.
0 j0 p2 O1 H$ y V9 v/ p& x! _" B4 J; o7 c! 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.
! A: c; S+ T& U6 `# y( F: j; r; V* o0 p/ \
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ d1 x8 D" D/ o) F
; s3 V) ~1 d7 G; vDavid 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.
# z/ O" B/ a& P/ {5 T7 A: w$ r: d5 G- v
"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.
5 H* }! U6 F( J: m# V3 q
7 o2 r& E8 j% P"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."
: L1 v7 |5 K1 y# S/ i/ E/ b" ^0 c( [0 i0 i# `- }3 f( l
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.5 i) h9 F4 ~: q
( S5 L$ }3 r' o, L) EBut 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. |
|