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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖." q* B0 S; F& ?+ M& F) T
# p% e, q7 n( t: Ghttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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( v6 |1 D; z1 ~' M+ x. x9 E1 \3 rOTTAWA - 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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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.
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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?3 @! [/ f9 h( p# T& Y: ^; _( M
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. M6 @( |4 u( J% L8 V
" }; y! c% V, ^"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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j- v4 b, s# l& J"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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2 {) }6 ? F" N4 qThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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2 a1 r' u. N2 h6 `$ wBurleton knows how they feel.% r S( \' E$ Y+ x# U
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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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( p; d- v$ R' R$ @* |6 tWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.! u8 [$ O% j! u# g8 |7 [% K6 u' F
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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.7 C+ k9 s/ Y. e; P7 }' Q) h! b
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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.& E, g3 P- {6 c i
% g6 L G3 M5 b$ H7 t) u+ u4 X% 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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5 D6 c1 h, V- d+ d# UMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ R0 z7 U- q& y, z, C# U
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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.0 M/ n% L7 h0 F5 X. Y) x" e, X
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"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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) O$ H5 D0 r3 W& g% C"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."- R0 \5 v* X5 n) F( ^: W
# ]9 b1 L, b+ O S; l% UThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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6 i2 E$ h/ H( LBut 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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