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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.. R( @$ C: }6 T) F& t1 `$ q
9 M; U& s: F$ n$ |: Fhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html& r- p$ p4 o6 n Y2 {) _
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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./ ^1 }3 H$ t& w( K# Y* B
/ ?& L; o, \" ?. {. \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.
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." j6 Y* t5 [8 x. s& ~9 x0 U. u
) E3 ^( Y# i& s3 U( A$ `"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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+ Y+ V1 i6 M, S9 P, w8 a' k"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.) q3 y; Q& X6 ?1 n; {- I& \4 O
0 z L5 ]! j$ B+ \* dThe 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.* g) h5 f o; o. A7 m
5 V3 J9 O5 Z6 h6 p9 @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 [7 L: E Y% X5 B1 ]
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Burleton knows how they feel.0 M9 b, l- C5 k8 G: ~$ K
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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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, p( i- z9 J1 k. J- ]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.! \. H, S/ x4 T! R1 V0 J7 l7 q! J
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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.7 l: O0 {& t/ B
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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 l5 [8 ~3 y& }) q
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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., g1 u; `$ N, I
" t8 c$ E* h' r6 J" `7 J) o0 {+ S# |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./ K- X5 v0 Q2 R% G9 d9 C
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# f0 b- g ?: s) X$ |8 ^
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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.; U$ u" w4 D& H* R/ d' T
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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.5 b; z" F4 r, r. f( f3 R
2 \6 E% \9 X& ]% |& 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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