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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.' C8 ^" k* _: ^' Q7 k. i
7 w% V8 U% R5 g- u( Y' khttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 x- o; R" }( L% G: `2 r9 s" s$ p/ n
/ u( r$ S% F. L NOTTAWA - 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.2 p3 O E+ ]8 Y
: R F' W# D1 D( Q9 N6 c( LPeople 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.( e; r2 ~7 C3 V2 @
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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) |. j! G# Z3 i# |6 L5 nAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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' g7 {9 Q. w% z0 y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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& Y* X( G; h9 E$ P* g' WThe 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.7 ^9 I7 V9 i r9 x
1 N f: A, U+ K; M3 ~+ B7 nBurleton knows how they feel.
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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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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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9 H6 m# H" }/ Y' v8 q% x: M" {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.$ V9 H5 \( p( R7 e1 O' I0 c* X9 F2 l
. K: X0 e8 y+ t" s! y! ]0 RAnd 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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" N1 F- Y8 \: l5 b( DIn 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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2 _; k" \" i6 WMeanwhile, 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.; u8 T& d4 {. d. A+ Y6 G
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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. d+ w% h6 O' ?4 ^ ?: Z
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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.: @& v' G8 f) D: C
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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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.' i M# Z( V0 a' B; A
, Q8 ~* C v5 p2 jBut 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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