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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 m( D; L7 P$ a% K
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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& l6 l( x4 V/ \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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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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4 X$ N4 ]6 @; S) z' HIn 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.6 Z3 E/ T, Z' R1 d( U! i
- H0 t( ~, O4 uWhy might it be a good time to sell?; [1 L0 i& l; A" z5 H
3 a% ]* N0 i- G2 H3 J8 g$ tAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.( x; Y* Q8 h" F& P( C) n
' T* c$ P, h# U4 O' o- B"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.8 j( s9 e9 \( _1 x; s
; ?$ ?% v# W. x! W f& n"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.2 M7 L% ~ S; ?, U/ j0 V1 E
( @1 z: p. l! v" P. o6 LOf 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.% n4 o: [ Y# x; O& x) ^ Q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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0 }( C, |' t$ |5 \"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.% U) K% k4 b Q6 Z0 {
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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.2 g8 F1 a4 {1 a+ ]
' ]% }! U% r6 ~1 J2 a5 y: o' ?& XWith 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.
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5 Y& R, z4 i2 R% H% H, o: ~# B3 _9 PIn 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.
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# |3 z$ \0 _4 B4 Z3 O. o"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.4 y m& B, ^$ f6 T- u1 a1 t- \
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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."3 z2 j+ ?5 T0 q" V+ T) p; L4 G
4 o) @! R |7 ?) c6 g7 ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.) J a% b; q; Z: d K! X% i/ K
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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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