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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 E" C1 W9 X! I/ K$ J1 j
: c3 w0 k+ }9 w% }4 I( Z% Yhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, W* p7 J' i# s) Q+ d
" D: k! N) f* u o7 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.
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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.) p$ K* J1 U0 k5 I7 M
, n- \: v: k* c/ D: \" C' 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.
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, u1 |' P( h% B( nWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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& L5 s. _* ~7 w0 S- P3 l8 _"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.* T8 x9 K/ M1 [) }3 H. x1 e$ I7 b
! u, X/ s/ c8 N( W"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 a4 k4 N5 Z+ z! B7 E. C+ y
5 q+ D6 q+ {. a2 e& |. m+ gThe 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.5 H: e& ~0 b* m; _9 C1 }
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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. x& C' L3 {# x% V$ U
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Burleton knows how they feel.9 I# ^5 B/ ~4 r \6 B* \0 I: { f
& l; [$ Y( K$ z9 z1 N0 m i0 I9 x"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.2 g; y# T. q4 e4 V7 L$ @: q4 Z
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 @3 V( F' ?* ]% W* X$ a1 H9 l
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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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"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.: E# v% N* m' N( Q
' @0 Z! e( F; p0 X8 O* U' X"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."% d; o" _: a9 I8 M, }
$ y) H; K& L4 Q) k {; O+ qThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.3 Q5 M5 \7 T% Y5 S ]
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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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