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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ _: E" h* }4 w' E; u, L
8 V/ }( d; V+ \( ~6 e; Mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html2 d) \0 ~* Y7 ^8 ^, z" ?
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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.5 h- s8 a$ S2 z5 f& T3 l, g
- r# j; k3 Z" V/ _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.8 O4 a: f& Z# p- w$ P
/ p5 j ?, R& H0 u( z% fIn 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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# b4 s- O3 V1 ]- s4 @Why might it be a good time to sell?: n' z. A* w4 L( z! L
4 q) O2 s0 F; U3 }, S! gAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.) m$ c. |: f1 J% J- d; Y" t# S
' L% i2 n% H+ n6 x3 l. w"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.6 y* C( O1 C9 Y' r) m Y% V
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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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6 s5 ?2 M3 p' n2 r; P# ~# ^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./ B, z8 R% [1 N
" r2 y% C: i& f ~& sOf 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.( s$ a5 D7 r) H4 Y! c. V! Q
0 i% r# g8 {6 b$ mBurleton knows how they feel.: i+ H; F, @ ?4 _& e6 F4 [
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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.
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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.6 b6 N8 p, N- j9 Q
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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.( i6 f" H, x3 W; f
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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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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.3 q/ K4 K! ~* T0 `7 j
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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.$ y% I! a+ C3 W, ~, p
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# ?0 {4 K3 f/ x0 h; a' b
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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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, `7 ?+ V( q E) t* `"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." O; C. T9 D1 \; o/ P
& v& P4 K/ [' c7 q"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.; ^# E- y3 T7 c6 [! D# C5 a6 X
+ a' g! k# t) w' k' NBut 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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