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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.: e7 Y& F& [$ {, z1 [! m
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html2 T _ g. D- o% J$ P+ Z% F
# \8 s, T2 f8 F4 ^; j5 xOTTAWA - 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 j; L" M m! F# R8 Q
! G ~4 q `" F2 X: QPeople 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.& ~7 G2 J9 T/ f0 Z$ Y% X: ?; i
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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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$ H, S F( u$ n! o: n. F) p# E. Y' |2 U"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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0 J' S7 K) v n"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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, L' Z- [+ a4 X0 n/ d% ?. T2 @+ t1 MThe 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.. Y- c! f. L( Y1 r
8 y$ }, g) Z' g' C" j9 ]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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, M0 d" u8 u9 t M9 f! LBurleton 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.
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: O0 e3 Y m, Y' i2 T9 Q% ?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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5 ]( M$ w( a) B8 c' s4 lWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.$ Q1 v" p9 }- o# }% W1 o F5 z
; J7 z8 k6 x8 U. x% Z% t8 X1 k! OAnd 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.1 s! b- K( P" s
% ?+ V) ]1 u3 r4 u( [& `) AIn 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.
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1 `5 Q- e7 ?7 V8 p. M xThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.& m/ K) `9 Q4 A3 j% s
3 L$ B; b/ y2 q& h8 I% u8 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.* n; a' a$ K2 b: I, W
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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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7 x$ w3 H; p$ }* c: q1 p. a) t: ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act. |7 u* k6 R5 [ W8 X% b% A
0 Z5 f9 F/ U) GBut 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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