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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; q( l: V$ W1 [3 Q/ J! L0 r
1 J$ U$ q# q( N2 r! b' z7 Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html) o2 l$ W8 t$ _! s
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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.
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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." R* ~( y' O M0 V$ e0 t& V6 p
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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.) r# |+ A+ B' R* p. T, k5 }
3 L: W# @( H) w/ O, K y5 AWhy might it be a good time to sell?9 ~2 _* o- B9 Z+ p' s- n2 X: k N/ C+ |
$ R2 i+ y+ z& k) g% b9 [% fAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.: ?. I) D( c/ q
# s) p H1 P& x4 e2 G7 u# ]! s"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- o, ~7 x' C: V) p; o+ `
) G% ` w' j5 k7 h' G"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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; N* {) Y$ L" E4 W) Y! ?! l) }2 }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.) s, g: ~) C! o6 g W" x
$ d4 T. [7 E: v2 ~+ DOf 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.) ]3 M; d% ]1 f, x7 z( a
! P- q% B+ @/ |4 n5 dBurleton 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.( b0 H. B; o% Q4 b* [+ z, ]& }% j: g
- M& S2 i9 v: Z! S; [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.
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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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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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4 U& n6 q* A. }7 cIn 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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' m) w/ l' p3 `' L6 a; E iMeanwhile, 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.( Q$ n8 K: u% t4 V, w& I
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ z. }/ U. d1 D8 V: T! U# a
! ?/ n3 j# }( T X' [3 ]* A3 `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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& }& X8 Q) z- R3 T7 C# G/ X0 E"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.". L! u4 k- t" C. Y3 H
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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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