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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.' d V$ s: U1 S5 y* K
' M$ X6 n4 ?2 Nhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: X, K; d+ Y) e& _
; g* f0 H8 E6 J# M0 P1 Z7 V6 G) LOTTAWA - 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( m" q) ]' u, r2 f% o/ D
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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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+ o9 {- j) ?3 Z1 GIn 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.5 h# @( a; e% ~- [
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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0 U+ v( G+ |; s1 VAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.! q( q q8 X# P2 H- j) \0 h
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.; ~# c) j/ r% C" X
; d2 `( {% v1 ~ N! y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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4 c' e( U$ t# Y9 l- x: mOf 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.- A0 ?& s! k' P; d. X3 o
/ u4 [5 Q3 i8 B% ~3 ^+ `; X# ?6 BBurleton knows how they feel.$ N( h* Z, Y) Q: ~
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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.% m7 E7 y6 M @, d* u
3 b% V7 e) z( b4 q- v; nWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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/ d2 k V% R( u1 dWith 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 ^- h4 n. u, N- x
. F0 l6 c# M7 p. f* D# LAnd 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.
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5 ?+ w+ s3 x: N- B7 i* sIn 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.% Z. s: _5 ~* d; n( ^2 M) s
) _4 E) q5 Z/ [8 o$ KThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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9 Y, b1 C) l! M3 q% l7 b nDavid 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.9 U' R8 ^) Y% S" r5 Q1 Y3 W5 @
4 e1 `- {- m" z" ^+ g4 ?/ L: s! l" 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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