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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# K+ A* I0 g# J0 ^7 C* J: t
$ T2 V' e7 i$ k3 Whttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html. p! u i7 d, Y8 C9 Q
: h& T+ [5 o- w' oOTTAWA - 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.7 V! C* T, G5 v( G/ f- C
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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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- k" N0 Y, o* Y$ B( M5 kWhy 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.! N, `) k" o- f2 M+ o
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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.8 \1 c* Y. y5 ?( `- Z# _
1 ]" \& C9 i3 Z% K4 c: ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 P+ ~8 N9 X S1 @4 Y- c
/ C, C }8 ?5 U: T* 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., F ]# E# H5 A. r
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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.5 \2 r! @7 }2 \. G U
# Y" \1 z9 I2 ~1 B" \; _Burleton knows how they feel." U2 L2 f( F+ U
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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.1 c* E; }! J. X- M/ a
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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./ L1 _* y5 | x1 c! `0 X( g+ ]
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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.3 h P. ^" a/ O1 C) A% k. @
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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./ u, _* U2 f- F# o/ K9 j
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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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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." A; m5 T6 D' o7 ^3 F6 n
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.! M ?; t6 k! u. M) U) w0 I
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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.6 E5 Z( }4 ~' T
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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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* \) v* X' ~; a, t: SThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act. q5 }: O/ F9 w2 f7 v: n* v
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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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