 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.8 y) H6 D) U3 O& F1 \# F _1 t
9 o( r4 h2 u6 O
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
0 c/ Y" f3 z: I& L+ ]# v$ `9 }; h6 k# X
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., {1 t- r3 p, w2 d: R) C3 b, }
! ?2 d* B8 V. H; x2 y4 ?6 M+ e8 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.
3 l% N+ m5 S8 ~, y
8 i) s7 n) \- S7 O3 j E! cIn 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.' @/ n/ G6 B4 h3 ~0 z2 O9 i
! j% S4 R6 A( ?6 yWhy might it be a good time to sell?
" E+ ~- c; l5 |" K7 j A% e0 b* B9 W4 _8 K5 D0 P2 Z. ]4 d
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.4 v4 {! [5 N, o* x9 y
. o/ K. ~* {9 C \ d"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
E0 q$ Y' v( a7 E! J: l) N; \8 B, J7 m
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
# M2 t9 T3 p' @5 B& W" N
0 w) r7 k, a2 c5 C e- k9 oThe 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.- ]" k- l9 V7 O
& p) z! A& n# o/ J7 X3 h1 _8 lOf 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.1 Q h/ s4 e3 s' y
$ E q/ v6 W% D7 H0 j! l# f" eBurleton knows how they feel.7 c, M& f- C' ~8 `8 c& K) V
! B7 F' m. e( M4 p. t"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.+ P' } h# w. {
! z$ A6 i1 k/ c+ B; t6 q0 F& U
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.% S$ n# e n! c5 o# Z
2 M& { W- c# N, F 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.+ b* P# R: C' t" Z1 {0 C8 d
) D5 `7 y" ]! E4 S0 X; {
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.
, ?4 L# b# q, t( }, c
8 d6 t& Y0 c$ F/ L' D. WIn 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.
1 x, ?8 g9 ?8 y/ ~! ~' Y
& F5 i) f& ~- }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.
# _/ H2 G; p, O2 ]' R
4 T) y7 M A+ `# B, i" w7 eThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
% y+ A7 i8 } h6 ]' q" M" p/ K% G! C, j: X1 D7 g! Y
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.+ Z" \, c8 ^( z0 ~
: T# i( P0 K, T0 p. m"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.
/ C% T8 D8 I; \9 t
; y+ o+ V, t3 D5 ~2 X5 M) O7 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."
! Z* v8 p' m# p- v" ^% }! J# x" o
% o5 W" D& C- ?4 \5 Q' I, rThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.6 \9 O; \# W @1 H% i1 ]* K. A
, T( M+ F1 M2 A" `' I
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. |
|