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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.6 V3 H5 {* N$ j. p- j
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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. m* ?* e" @- k& |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.. z. F8 m3 U3 M9 U6 Z% `7 a1 F
4 M u2 S4 I O9 j7 x* vPeople 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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- M7 e# Q; g `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.% O8 e5 R0 ?& g1 M
9 Q- R2 K: T7 F- R6 ] S"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.8 V+ ^4 }! J0 v6 h
9 ?3 g2 y! Y0 b* \# b8 p# q"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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+ b4 D% H9 _, S6 R3 z2 R! Q7 N1 w! P& UThe 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.; Z% F8 |: R" H7 P0 `0 x+ b
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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.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.5 v! Y' y# I- Q! X) i" u- A. K
+ n- N7 T7 a- @/ W: {* O* }' cWhile 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.5 v8 G8 T B, }6 A- [( j7 E( K+ ^
- q- Q8 b! i2 P0 k" U* }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.* E$ g* A# S9 v1 L7 }/ `
+ X$ S R2 o* R, O( q* R% ]3 rIn 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.
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) }3 b4 c, V2 E+ t. sMeanwhile, 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.4 T9 f' ?! ^' H2 j" o' q v$ Y
; [( p; U5 e" K6 Z5 Z6 a$ f; ]4 [That 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., O/ O$ Z( c0 {4 X/ [6 y' n
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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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"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."& `1 ]# |( y5 X8 ~0 o# C
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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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