 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.5 Z% I. c% a% O8 L- O. x6 [
9 c) S% ]2 O$ k/ W3 k0 W
http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html! V' E( \1 A2 }1 w, q5 _' E1 l' a
* Q, V( \9 v8 e; t
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.- p/ O6 F5 v) H& N
5 T2 b/ _, o C) @( u2 `) V% iPeople 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.
- `" i) }1 L+ G3 t0 j# ~
. X4 P# M4 y" u6 u7 @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.1 |2 s/ i) U; Y3 [1 {1 z3 J
: ]% o+ j8 n2 \, _
Why might it be a good time to sell?
+ |0 a9 {9 F% c) P9 q6 q
5 f4 J! m9 Q! q* u/ xAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
7 [, L' `* Q& r- W. Y9 H( Z8 M" C8 n( h
"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank. m. b3 \; b6 _- H9 Y, F
2 Q) b& E! Q2 l: P1 F
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
* `( y( t* A! `- ]1 ]6 c8 Y$ Y3 N" f* w0 n( K
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.6 }8 L* ^, X) x2 b" Y
( t( R$ f: G9 L$ E% {$ L rOf 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." N$ X o0 i- C/ l
2 B( ?6 V6 j" y! i' d+ W f# GBurleton knows how they feel.
( a; ^" u5 l& ]" q5 M( c
; O/ q. o0 N$ J) X% B/ ], ^"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.0 f0 j \; O# B. Z8 }: t, g
; r/ ?5 Y ?3 v8 q% M- s0 |; J
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.
, b4 r& b# T( f% H* L" r" W$ I+ Y# ~8 C+ o9 E$ ]/ ^( |) r1 R
With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.1 r; k0 w: E2 H" a" m' n# G$ e
! H$ O- a& D* b# [4 K$ W( `7 }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.! E8 ^$ j. b( a2 `
, y' c5 Y+ }1 [% s8 e4 ?3 a: c, v
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.
$ R, o6 A' U& K& C7 L1 T0 O% i9 [5 s' z. u" l
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.; ]' D9 J% \- D' N9 M
* T3 g' }' T! N) m- d, p; ^- y4 h
That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
! q2 @+ E* ~8 t7 [( X2 j
& |4 E2 Q$ ]. E+ b* C: V% e+ cDavid 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.! X: {" }' Q7 X/ R
h; f4 q; T: G$ `) e
"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.
! s4 L6 D0 r6 {5 U) \# t3 i- U, d) L" A) n: m7 u" D: D) J8 Y
"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."0 X* R# `% m1 b
; x" q4 I/ |% f& o7 n Z. vThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act." v2 K, L g1 m: C) K' J: v
$ v3 } ]5 r* w" }; L: SBut 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. |
|