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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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% ~& A, [7 v% U! O# V$ x3 ?http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ C9 q' j0 U! z6 `, Q
& B: P8 Z7 J& p7 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.+ A1 h, s0 K/ ^- E
h/ B+ y+ Z* d3 m d7 n5 DIn 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.& }2 D3 k7 X; Q$ J3 r
. \2 C T) v5 ~6 [* lWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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! j2 X% x- a) i: }( }) SAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.% p* Z R$ U1 W$ m1 I) z
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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 z$ M/ n$ b8 z9 I0 K
+ i9 _3 x, Z( I& U' BThe 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.7 d( m; R1 I/ u8 L2 u$ ?
! f. {" I* o7 `6 B- NOf 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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: @8 j# q& i* S8 D* IBurleton knows how they feel.. c* N+ T/ U0 h0 W: _6 N
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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.. m8 w9 ` i0 n) \7 {; E
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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.; v- b" r) @. K# {' O7 c2 V3 v* B
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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.( j! Z* S1 z4 C+ m B! z8 H7 ]: `
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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.$ d, Q% t; {6 D& z* c' ]7 x$ U
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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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"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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* \+ y3 J8 @0 E; @" Z3 r4 x/ XThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.. U6 B# Q7 O" E
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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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