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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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- F+ i+ N/ X5 S( ahttp://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.. }6 h: [$ S4 j, b
- G, c7 T* ` @$ f! S; \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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: d& A) A' ^/ b- z1 b) z0 NWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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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.& b2 F4 k8 g' {, N
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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.3 S, Z/ S+ Z( S- s
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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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6 }' Q2 q* G1 U; ]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.4 a9 e {! Y. S6 {
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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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3 |9 ~" t. f6 ^) H3 x& O cBurleton 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.; r8 D& g+ Y! i7 R9 k6 H# N! T. Q
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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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1 k8 {7 J6 w3 U: t* e4 kWith 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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5 d6 X4 k/ s7 Q' h6 ?2 ]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.7 [% M4 L3 Z$ T: n1 Z- G4 e5 H
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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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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./ e! s U- F( B7 `! Y" n' S+ @" f
1 h; |9 o% w6 t1 F s( zThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.2 X: D; I* X/ o# @0 `
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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.; _" ?5 v a- j9 _* F& w
5 v0 `/ T2 s( o9 r9 r. z" u1 N"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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9 e% C! F8 I" K% x2 E$ }"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."/ c1 r/ p) B4 n; }
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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. |
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