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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.3 o% X" E5 y. Y4 F' ^
( k/ \7 O( k! ], H9 X# Thttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.
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. n! g& v4 _- t. D9 T, OIn 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.$ z$ w( d- I: e6 j, ]0 q) T; [5 P
/ m% K1 i6 ]7 i( K' N [& q# nWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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3 J, H0 Z4 C, N ]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.- o9 f& f& B3 n+ g& V
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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.& r! _( z: O1 O3 _
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 e0 y8 r2 [& W
$ D, ?0 p: ^( RThe 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.% B% p- S0 X( n1 q9 `! K2 _
5 x- P! {' s S3 g5 ^# Z; t. _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.+ o4 Y2 B$ C3 z/ Y; T; T( o
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Burleton knows how they feel.( r6 |5 s' i8 V. _$ j6 F7 \ }$ t
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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.% @) W1 [$ h4 a. o
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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.8 u) n; U2 \* a) B$ k7 T9 C* Q4 {
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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. f4 t% e8 v, H$ I; C' p
/ }& q/ v2 B& V3 A! J& k8 \: UAnd 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.5 R7 f0 K! r4 l0 Q3 U; o
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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.
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# u4 B5 ?5 ^8 S7 GMeanwhile, 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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.4 U" t* Q" q q& y
$ \2 X- e2 {7 q! q0 KDavid 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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"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.( w7 L5 ?' j& ` Q6 q6 v/ h7 x
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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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