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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.5 Q) g4 S) K1 f5 q
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- x* z+ V& y& K- B C$ 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." I' v" d. i! R4 i( J& b9 L3 {
$ w* n3 n* e" K5 v; F/ YPeople 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.& V! D) G5 I, U# E, L7 x' g3 N
" G( b4 {. \" }% o$ B' w# ^8 JIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?7 Y: y& I$ d& M0 {6 }# G! C
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 `* P1 d7 T9 r s; S8 L8 K
9 O1 J2 s: ?8 h9 u"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- Z+ l* a8 ~; U: w) n
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 o1 Q+ }. L0 }& V7 c8 {
% P, r& n9 b6 L7 AThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.; X4 y( d( J5 d# d* o' Q, ~
0 c' y. {9 j! t. j5 r) k- D/ YOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians., W; N" L) e! ?7 o ]. H. q& e
/ A7 l% H- v0 y5 U9 P+ l hBurleton knows how they feel.
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! Y/ ` H. k' L$ q3 T' }6 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.! A X3 G( D" m& {5 R9 x3 _! E
. ~3 c4 c3 F6 Z' ?8 ]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.
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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.
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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.; L' l B, J9 `7 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.
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% B/ O- P6 j3 q2 PThat 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.
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, [9 I" N- E( E6 s) @"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.& Y9 t- c8 x" h4 R! r2 t) C
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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."6 o4 I" q" m" C" l) X& Q
6 m2 a2 d: c) h9 [& y8 QThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act. y2 ^. Z2 Z: D( y$ m7 A, E# c+ H
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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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