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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ I3 n% H: O( O; z0 ?4 p
. [( c+ }+ D& |/ e2 ^4 [http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 @% n7 R2 f1 X# K
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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.+ B3 N% _$ A! a s
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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.8 G+ S) e+ x* ]6 y; E$ L
8 o- {8 ], o5 R; k& OIn 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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' W4 q2 S8 n2 h7 uWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ w o C! @) J. _ Y+ l$ U% [+ ^
% W1 W3 ^# E; R, QAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. T9 Z/ |5 M& S {& x
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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/ B' G9 G3 C' C" G& J"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.$ m, W" M' M7 s2 l4 |, n% Q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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& r/ Q6 R& j0 F0 [& l* B7 j"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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& L F. D1 Q: d: hWhile 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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: R1 O( m. U8 IWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.. D8 y) u% e. P. |
: B, U; ~. q \7 p( H; ]; C8 JAnd 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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Q8 i# R& r: s! n: ^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.# ?* F, I$ @+ d% G/ k# A6 C
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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./ g+ f _# L+ v2 `: Q( f$ E# h
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# J+ s* i V) P: v% b" L( K0 K
3 j% ~' l2 j! P& G( E8 zDavid 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.7 R: O- @5 ~8 c. o7 K1 P
2 L! p# u+ F9 C m* K4 w9 m- i"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.! h$ D9 o/ S1 U$ F
$ Q# D: O$ T3 |) e4 k- _1 R8 N2 h"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."& T( ~+ Z: T, O3 H( M$ \- v
# r2 w% ~$ x( w1 z8 h8 C: }7 GThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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