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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.2 x" B2 G) p) S* g* m k
; h9 F/ \- D. n3 s4 f( q$ nhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html# J a2 Q2 ?$ g2 \" S
3 _8 S' [, E( _7 Z8 ZOTTAWA - 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.
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: @2 ~1 t2 R# u+ G( b# w2 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.- h, n1 c0 n% x6 w1 h! g; i G
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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.% d! P+ N N- a3 \
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Why might it be a good time to sell?9 J# ]; A/ M/ i
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.4 w, y$ V6 C& o0 _
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"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.4 n- f9 p4 ~* g3 _5 H) c
2 B) I5 q5 v. j7 B5 y @"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( n: R/ j& ^1 ]* B! m
+ \; s& q3 S4 G1 xThe 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.! `- I* F$ d: x0 @! }3 I3 |
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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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Burleton knows how they feel.
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2 \& W% T" N7 R! G0 r4 p"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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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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% B7 x: Y+ E J Y$ n) HWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
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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.! W$ l, x" V) T* X) O- S
x+ {$ U q: o2 E. XIn 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.9 C/ _3 w1 f1 C/ e: A
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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.+ c, R5 r0 ]$ p7 j, U3 Y5 T g
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That 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.
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, ^2 i+ p8 V' y+ B2 z5 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.
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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."8 _; G) Q& q! `8 z5 g
, M; u, k6 c% \6 ^* D( J- x' MThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% E4 a, Y- E8 x* i" C6 I
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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. |
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