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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. H# n9 }8 U5 J \5 ?8 B9 M7 P
2 P! Z j# O6 A3 m( K; J4 Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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- u& c& g, S. B( A4 u* OOTTAWA - 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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- B- D1 w( [8 C! y. C3 Y) sPeople 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.: ]4 o7 [0 ~0 n w( n% ^7 F
" Y+ p- o0 F6 Q& [3 r7 p$ ^% XIn 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.8 L" N2 i- P% A
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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* }. `0 w- j' C# l7 Q3 K% z+ N1 iAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.% X$ x1 X5 L. w# q/ F
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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.
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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.: n9 n: O4 y! t! r/ F
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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./ V p( z' j" V
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.: R9 _! P. W0 v- N$ p
% p$ F, z. x+ X: e; z0 w9 `$ aWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.! n/ i1 P2 C% c3 n" h8 S. I& e
5 [0 f! m' Q+ e4 K. @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.; F# s& r& W; G, R3 e# O4 c9 ?
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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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# `. U; T% S# f: wIn 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./ A, ?/ Y1 ^5 H9 x7 H6 G
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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.
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- n2 r6 H, w7 ~( \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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, ]/ e) a- [, Q/ c( n* Q9 h"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.# x* t" d1 m2 p/ r8 \" @9 S
4 y f; h, h1 k4 o7 _"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."7 e1 M S% D, S* ]$ y
! m4 o6 p4 k, S. q* D% vThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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+ k5 E) w4 B1 YBut 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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