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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- {. O1 G( Q# f2 U ^( k
& j, Y, `! m5 t6 `% P4 xhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html% s* t' {. W I; f
; P$ M6 n/ d% e2 J: E% n- u( 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., j7 d( s, b0 y! g( }2 E' N
! Z# L" k6 i4 M; k4 ]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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* o& H* ?. v* ?6 Z. NIn 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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- G$ x! W4 { P6 s: a5 ~3 `Why might it be a good time to sell?3 L7 b9 u+ D' Y2 k; v1 R& R( j
5 ~) Z# w& U; B% I9 ^% CAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.( ~: h2 c) x) J1 f% z( e
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 x; @# N( c, ^0 _
, W1 |! ^1 W* j/ D3 d- W) AThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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! S1 N# e9 X# b8 }6 PBurleton knows how they feel.( U) x. y$ W) {* w4 M. z
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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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$ t' ^8 C" g8 @/ `* V5 V2 n5 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.7 A/ L- t0 I) b) M& v4 b8 o
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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.
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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.( V6 E( T; L Y# E9 [
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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.+ x# { I7 h7 h
3 L# [5 E1 h7 |: W' Z9 K8 FThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 W% H! v6 e2 x8 P. B# S
& Y. U9 b' _+ XDavid 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.# U5 _! i: W+ F" l
( M1 o1 y4 c2 B* u( d: p, q1 j Q"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.$ w) R) H& z& e
3 W3 m& j v s* B0 E( r7 {; T2 OBut 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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