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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., o/ O6 j9 ?& N6 \0 g, e% i$ p2 [
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ ~' S: _& V& Q+ j+ N
" e( J) ~. j9 I4 OOTTAWA - 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./ N0 }. }: w6 ~ n
' D8 K; o* |8 U! ?# DPeople 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.9 t7 e( _4 G4 f% J, c
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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.3 q2 M! g2 q% ]2 h
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.- u" X W, G) [; o& K8 I' @8 Q# O
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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1 F* A: ~5 y' y. a"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.5 c" [7 Y8 r9 d
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.2 ?& Z+ V+ q; c2 I2 F. r
/ U- G6 w3 X" i* C: T, q' I xBurleton knows how they feel., c* l3 R' ]8 o' a
3 _, Y& @/ g; G"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
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While there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.4 _. [* Z- [6 k: @
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With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
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" O: L. h: n Q! F$ t& ]; AAnd 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.! f$ D0 \. o% U4 l4 E: S
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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.9 v E. L( l w; X# ?4 O
7 ]) C; S. @" A0 @4 EMeanwhile, 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.: A! q" Z% x! w2 Z0 E( j: d
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 a/ ^; k. a @& G- ~3 b 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.
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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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. R4 v- }* `# K% Q3 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.") L3 u# z" v6 a6 r" h$ N
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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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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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