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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# C) v% S6 r" d/ J/ m% z
* E6 ]& |0 E; P" j2 z/ j8 }; G& j5 Vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html3 f4 l9 O& k: E8 _/ @# _
! c, P( N5 U, W& \. n. DOTTAWA - 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./ l, {) q0 q+ n5 p" W5 u
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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.
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In 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?
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9 r* X0 M) F! z( S: Q `7 yAt 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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4 z1 F0 |- ]/ u O- Y2 d* Q"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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5 }5 l: X' V9 C8 u+ u+ a8 H2 r' J9 L"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 M" h5 c5 |) v/ S* M I1 ^
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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., Q1 D8 B% Q9 O1 I* I) b
1 \( y" A# c* wOf 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.2 K" t2 m; _; z1 z5 d3 |5 H
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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.
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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.4 n) K2 P3 M! r, ~# A; V. h
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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.& A9 h2 ?5 n: h. R/ c
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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.& `# c, P6 R0 }9 ~' K! @. I% C
& m N% e5 w3 W9 k: nIn 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.4 d2 K0 ]" d8 t: @
! A( H2 v, T2 J$ z$ _4 ^5 oMeanwhile, 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.9 H! ~$ w: j/ Z/ G* P
- Q5 g6 J" o% b3 y" N, O6 @That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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2 C0 f; s- z+ L3 u, `7 kDavid 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.6 c5 K6 j4 D: O+ j' U3 d
1 I2 [1 ^8 R) D: L5 z, M M4 W1 C"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.9 r9 U& i/ q$ x8 m
6 w& Y9 \8 r, `1 y8 e/ u5 H"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.1 F; M) S$ ^$ W, ~3 Y
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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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