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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.. }) Y, {1 {: R* V
: a- v) S: f2 `5 ^ vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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1 S/ L, e! P# QOTTAWA - 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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" G8 H( j- d, r5 E7 D8 \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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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.7 l% x& v' o7 d& H
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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% L& E, q" L. v9 GAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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% G) ?3 c4 m# {3 W& J"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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- Q0 A5 l+ M$ z+ o$ c# y7 L) ^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.9 |- h* y/ w, [* E( `
5 M& j" R. s8 u8 xBurleton knows how they feel.9 {0 r$ T0 y5 f3 i1 u) c
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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.$ m0 |' l. K5 I9 D" q1 _
0 Z* l$ ~8 o4 v( TWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.+ U/ L0 y; _$ H& H( @
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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." {2 }3 ^* ~' H( ^8 D
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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.5 _1 p; j% T) r! G6 l4 G: u9 x2 W
2 S' I& i3 x+ sThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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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5 l* f% ]- p* E( p8 ~0 n' ?1 w) _"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."* V$ m _, \5 U. n4 h+ g
( L9 W& b y. e( f% HThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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# |2 o" h0 e. TBut 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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