 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖./ @! v, X1 l0 X% l
% g& H$ [& q, `# r8 F Ghttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ t+ X+ Q- |* u! R
/ D5 n( X8 M p5 r/ g W+ GOTTAWA - 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.
- }4 I9 |0 d; ]% j7 x5 r7 C' V/ x2 x5 v0 p8 v7 X+ p; }
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.
' h8 Y S1 d- [; F0 o* ?
. r+ ^1 A Y- D! U V( \ A( KIn 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.
( B7 I) Y6 _9 k7 W$ o; s8 g8 S( p" a* H& T4 z! A& H# {
Why might it be a good time to sell?& W5 d9 @3 h. V/ k0 [, \! J
# I+ O9 O. ?4 H; yAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
& [1 B( T; {4 l [2 k+ j
# V# i+ g$ f/ `1 R# M( p"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.$ @0 O. U+ Q: a) T& @( ]
) w A# Y0 A. h5 s6 R; b3 W"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
& ^8 k( E& `! ?! h* x8 d) W: j- H, b
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.- f. K0 b8 q/ u# g' L& L
~" a6 K! P- _; z8 o' ]4 fOf 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.0 `8 P- F0 D. T" p
* |' k) _* V2 M% P" Y
Burleton knows how they feel.. C1 ~' i1 }* V) \& S% ?+ Y
$ i$ S8 L0 f+ k"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.
2 c; s0 h L8 J: @/ z; h3 J6 o! {4 A7 W# L/ ^/ C" d
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.
' Y& b/ n+ Z* F, E ~8 L; o
8 D4 S5 e- u& E" w8 c* Q- s' tWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.) h$ o+ c! Y+ ~( |, H, C
' f, X3 V+ b* m$ y- }$ fAnd 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.$ n- k. g3 R# |
* X7 |& I% C+ J. f' _7 ~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.
% U4 `! H7 \9 V0 H& S; B5 [
# I4 O" E* ^# K1 W& LMeanwhile, 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.
# i( Z0 l/ S4 z }' G: d1 r! p0 R M0 a% W9 Z: [
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 [4 o7 y! C8 s6 u
/ I0 U* c3 V3 o" P% Y( 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.
6 | a: d8 ?! n% \4 x8 h# N
/ z* b U p/ e6 b"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.
2 U2 n8 T0 f8 K! o2 B% M: v( w. y; n C" B
"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."3 `: a) B. D/ u% h' a7 i" e
* B0 l) n: n( p# K
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
, Q& T/ C* P6 w: p3 P1 M
' ?/ m/ _* r k7 x3 f7 l4 ~2 \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. |
|