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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.8 D7 K, i2 u, w q" {+ ?3 Y
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html0 Q4 b( }& Z8 N! x4 T0 c4 N' ?' c
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OTTAWA - 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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; u- X X2 a( WIn 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?
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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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"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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( ], i, ?9 j5 y6 g- L"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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; ~4 U | x' P |! g* ^+ B; n _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.
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& x2 v3 n9 Y) P7 a1 _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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& f1 Z# f# A t. h6 S) j* ?0 }, v- d% MBurleton knows how they feel.
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3 H# y9 H6 x+ S0 ~% A) j" H"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.: D4 S# O& a( C
0 u" H; f& S& ?% Q3 j. zWhile 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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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.2 o' s; l- ^" I9 |
5 P# W. {/ E) h) L6 |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.5 L- h& ~" G" ]7 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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.1 g0 ?. U4 p* N" F* N
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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.+ R Q: O' N- C& v9 i) F
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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."5 O1 m! |7 W5 `% S# P U: o- j
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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$ e5 i, g, B' _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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