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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 n3 Z% q0 [3 X+ G: J1 b0 K: y
9 u* T! q5 k% }1 p3 N' \. r6 g5 Yhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 p) e0 l8 r$ S/ v" Y7 r
% a, B( x! }/ aOTTAWA - 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.2 p3 N/ g$ [* v) b0 b6 N
0 B3 p0 y. q# N+ y6 A/ @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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6 D& r2 u, j# u4 ~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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- C- w: x) N& m+ KWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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, s5 S/ X* E& Q6 dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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- k; J5 M! [3 n; ?8 t$ W"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.
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- [' e. Q# ~: j! Z( K- g6 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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$ k" S3 S, |8 ]8 V7 xThe 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.4 g2 N6 U( ?2 b4 L! y0 U0 S
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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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6 k- b) E! |! c! }2 e' WBurleton 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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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.% B$ I* V7 v- e; L/ ]( j
/ Z1 e; z2 Z8 T6 W F2 @6 GWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.2 }8 S3 x% W5 T% U2 ^& r/ O
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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.+ w& s' P$ f9 f9 G. V L
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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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- q1 V0 C0 ^6 q4 YMeanwhile, 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 [ v* B6 j7 {7 X8 X
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- _. T* I0 ?2 ~( {( u
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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.
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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.+ ?+ D# X3 r& ?+ D
3 y( j b; t6 X$ G! d9 A" W' v"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."4 u4 D! U- B# O4 l( ?% X8 {9 a/ n
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! } F' a+ D3 Y, 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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