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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.& a1 z0 O# P' y$ T7 P0 B6 J
O5 m8 e* \& Y1 J# V( o1 Hhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 o# ]( h- y% C5 |. X& P" G9 ]
4 ^! h6 g* j' h" I: f, @6 v% 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.
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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.. r7 K8 F# p4 E) a( K, y4 F
" X7 }" U& n X$ C( a# ^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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% m o4 P M) q/ [) h: M( VWhy might it be a good time to sell?" \* q+ J# C0 f
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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) [; H3 j* k5 ?6 d"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.) H- K4 }8 o8 ?$ l6 J9 y% s% t
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"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.. u) R, h9 F: }% y
9 V4 W8 ^& f, h+ N7 |3 S( EOf 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.& }% B( o& m3 U$ p4 w
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Burleton knows how they feel.. I- \; R0 n8 D5 w
8 n- u! ^7 H# ?' u! h"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.0 o; n8 p; y6 p7 n+ [4 t$ V
j+ C, C$ d' O& f+ ?# W" o" sWhile 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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4 L( X7 V% S# \) f! NAnd 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.7 x& a0 R! ^( [+ ^; F* K1 b# v9 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.$ M' J7 Z f q) o& h0 @" n: F
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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./ g8 {0 {* J" r' I
' Y q# i0 z2 F: o6 i/ KThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- C* K# ]7 F" {
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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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" l) S9 A) o) q1 G; q. E1 V [) V"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.: S9 y$ l8 Q. Z Q$ f
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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.". w( Q0 G+ D+ I/ I
+ ] w1 ]: ?! Y, Q* gThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( B, }. k* i9 c9 n( Z
+ V R/ I8 v1 h7 `' i5 vBut 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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