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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- e( a: m# U' q1 P: B
& K0 ^5 V- d( _http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html+ {+ I6 I( E6 J* S; T. ~, L
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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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, k9 `# Q3 K) E" ~) t* Y/ [( \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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; G. b+ z. I7 D" yIn 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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( v/ ?$ q" l7 v* [% ]1 q, z6 bWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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# c3 ~& M& E. V5 |$ q$ ~: X, dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.1 y2 ~$ a8 h$ m5 B. {
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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.
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5 g8 X7 d' ]" D9 T( S9 F"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.0 p# W# a2 r& _0 g7 Z+ u
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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.
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6 L* F3 e/ E, m- COf 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.* C4 l* ~9 P/ h) K x
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Burleton knows how they feel.( H- V4 ~, Q4 i- p( ]6 f
5 \9 J a# b f; T"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.' t8 r. T/ \, ]0 s/ ~. F8 ~
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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.; L( z) f- m) [6 A' Z- \+ l; j/ S
& C* I% P: M9 N9 H1 oWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.+ m' L3 }2 b2 K7 R9 f1 {
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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.( N) _7 E- T2 u& {7 r% d Y
$ w/ M! K7 K9 D7 tIn 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.5 c6 s7 d+ c" ?/ I4 d A% m% V t
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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.' I* d( d* g1 F' u) i! T
: z+ i/ r u# m* L8 [That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- Y! q2 x7 p& O4 i6 u% o$ C
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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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2 a0 R$ _ \- B9 P$ N"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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3 I, \) ~( i9 _! Q9 q/ o5 F5 Y6 X"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.
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6 o$ ~8 }* ^' V6 p/ U% XBut 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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