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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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: k" G5 E& W$ X8 K) Uhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html( t! h1 `% n0 l+ H
0 a$ _2 q1 I4 {, ?- GOTTAWA - 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.6 e+ c2 t. g# G* G% o, b0 J
% u( T& v* j2 O. d$ m5 rIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?, o* ?: c4 \( w4 P; |0 {
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 I2 V6 o7 ^# E4 F# O7 r
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.( S* Q4 j& P' c2 b1 ^6 L
7 W T# n" n# L; w$ |) g" J9 ]+ gOf 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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* v2 Q1 O/ U1 uBurleton knows how they feel.
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; {% K4 a: f6 j7 B"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.
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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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4 \: G: ^: V3 a- ^9 a# s% \& CIn 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.. v. x' P) j$ l G# e
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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.! q( f! _/ F u( c
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.1 M+ e* b' ~, b
2 {( ^6 {! h# W, |) T+ iDavid 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.; S! e6 v, c9 o7 R7 g
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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."2 i9 Z$ R2 F1 L6 C5 M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act." f% V3 D: M+ K0 ?5 ~
5 t" ]; p! r5 J0 h( f% d" ?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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