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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.: k" P$ R7 B8 [8 ]/ {$ h+ c% K6 p
; n9 W: l* B" K5 ^5 _http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; \3 r- z: H% c0 o H
. N" a$ `& M* s' |9 R1 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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4 J, K& \6 n# ]# u8 aPeople 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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5 P1 A& i# l" o6 `; F2 PIn 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.1 F- p+ J+ p# b [7 X9 C/ x
% u! @) n* W" z0 `. d5 `- ]# r8 ?Why might it be a good time to sell?( p. F4 f. j3 J* T3 X
. M: W5 a* f$ q$ j0 ~8 [At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# a0 d( x) R3 A# i' k! n1 P. q2 C
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.1 J6 E/ d F3 f" o. e1 a
( d% o2 s5 L( _, T- fThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.7 _) @9 m K3 M
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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# q, ]/ E& y, r4 a$ U/ zBurleton knows how they feel.1 m" c2 e4 g, k! P
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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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1 T* A/ w5 T! H1 z7 i$ H, DWhile 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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3 p- {1 l) P0 c! i7 G4 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.# C# c {, l4 d0 X* h1 D' S
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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.1 l8 Y: |( I' Q" b! p
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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.! G3 g8 G& o2 v/ Q
3 F# ]% R, L' LMeanwhile, 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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, T d) `) F7 GThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.& S+ e" o* Y$ U4 H
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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.") v2 A3 ~! ?2 F7 r! y0 M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: P# u* [2 a0 z* |2 a
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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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