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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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* _) s% X7 B+ z0 Dhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html5 C1 X1 q8 ~; K/ t6 D& `6 ]7 ~
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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.' Y* J2 v5 d ]. \$ B
5 ]' _% C r) i. j7 V( [ {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* ?4 F+ e% V
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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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; f9 o) X9 t8 W* K7 T8 k4 Q8 wWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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& O4 i( K& p2 O7 W; p3 f5 y/ I"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.* H+ D' U+ O% B) q
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.# H) B( ?* T1 L* W. w0 J
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.7 u3 @3 c* w. `4 d" A# |5 q
" i1 Z' b7 t# O& o& }0 X& HOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.$ {* _: G, l: F& q, \0 Z
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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.
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8 V% Z C+ X- A1 b/ G& J1 O& jWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way. C3 K: Z9 P5 G, ]. a
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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 |0 e @7 V2 \- S9 a2 D- E: y! R6 M A
4 u* @5 h6 [: M$ z' vAnd 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.) a7 e) Y+ }0 a. k/ x
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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.
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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.9 o1 g7 m+ h1 I2 _
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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.& I6 @% V( q/ w @
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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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, E; k2 \+ Y9 H% O) {, M2 C- pThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.3 F% H3 x" v) x& `1 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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