 鲜花( 1)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
/ k4 ^% K8 l1 B# K" O7 r& l4 B
# z% L1 O7 L: D/ @# M2 G Qhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
* i% x L+ ?. d Q9 f/ s2 J) Y
% m, d- v A6 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.: X k' Z, ?7 H+ C3 X
' c! d4 Z: V7 cPeople 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.* G: C! @2 M, R; h# [# ?
8 D2 Y2 u: r3 ~' [7 t$ S7 GIn 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.
" H2 A% Z9 j0 k7 ?+ T* C! A! p3 r
% P9 e6 e) y8 B/ R3 [9 H$ `7 R) ?Why might it be a good time to sell?
) _9 j: K2 P5 i. p7 Q( A* P$ j6 U0 D% Q: a F& v$ t0 m' p/ c8 A
At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
. M8 `4 _, w* g. ?$ n1 M1 e4 m4 K- ^. q, W$ T! f
"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.
, Q# w( Y+ l! P T+ G; ?3 p$ Z3 Y1 o* a1 S* N
"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.& i C0 l/ _; |7 ?0 v p/ w! A* ~
/ e: ?4 e: r+ ]2 e9 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.
8 Y9 K" o" m( L" W. ^4 J; ?9 ~ h6 U" u! M" R
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./ {) q$ `+ o1 |: b* @9 e1 r% D
. [ t0 b) G4 BBurleton knows how they feel.. Z) T' c$ {% ^1 H" X7 `
4 ]& e: N- f" K: L"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.- A' i$ l+ X, f* R: R @
/ j6 k( l8 v% e& ~* U7 S% sWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way. c4 i2 W6 }, S) a" \# Z
: U8 F5 R% X, t$ \2 I. d4 {+ uWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.. S& N# A/ e/ a" Q
: G& W' R! ]; c1 u* q; c* A0 K6 @4 g
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.
( C% d5 `# y- m1 b/ y3 o
5 Y5 E; J/ g+ n7 }6 W( O& Y+ \% 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.7 n' u8 q6 @2 H3 A7 X( a& O
( u+ |+ }0 {6 ^& v+ A9 b4 L0 P# JMeanwhile, 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.
4 e4 B' z- k5 `1 O4 |
, M; L" f z. u2 X: T, U5 o7 W$ \6 FThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.( R7 d: r: s7 c% u. Z+ N% n5 z
' H" x* \2 J @1 l" q5 O
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." X+ v- ?$ Y6 k$ h3 u7 q6 `) l' ? F
$ B* e/ u% {9 f, [8 C/ a. {"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.
) R5 G+ O( b0 V3 I; p4 D
3 u, \4 @6 h( K0 ^3 `5 o"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."
|! Q% Q0 p5 j9 t( k; L8 |% V( E& q+ o
The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
( Y9 W) X* `+ Q* ]
1 Q7 _7 G, r3 m: H: o9 o' HBut 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. |
|