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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 X: q7 J& i' v) a7 C: r6 Y
" }% X" l0 e1 i, c6 ?- Bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; r; B( x: O ?. d: B% \% H) \. A
0 C+ \/ b$ N4 G( x1 H, @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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) ?) z8 [" o. H( ]+ NPeople 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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* @/ _4 [# u3 z6 YAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# \& m4 j# m. i6 U
" b( \% R+ V8 C: \* ]"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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% u" f7 l2 s" T; k5 v3 }The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower., g3 f, J" x2 |6 S' e$ |0 ]0 i9 z8 d/ X
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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.1 m* P* i1 P# J& w
4 |8 z& C) A, }" I" [0 z1 f/ A- wBurleton knows how they feel.
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2 G! J9 U1 r& I2 ]) k"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.8 _- q0 E9 `5 Q" R
, n! W! S7 a# [! yWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.# O# h& S3 \ ~1 d2 b9 l
: p4 n, l/ I' j5 ^9 _, D) DWith 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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. n$ k) U$ x+ J/ N, ~# iAnd 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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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.+ L% H6 B2 R8 k5 l c
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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.7 W# c! m8 L: V# w0 {7 |* B
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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.4 Z, Z) a" ^8 V2 f$ r/ E
& N( n: J- c$ m* g2 B. L o"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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; ^" q6 a$ |! \" h3 sThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( G5 ^& X5 R: `% C
8 x1 f9 {& B @1 Z) o# oBut 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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