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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.% }: M, @% ^. g' s/ J; a5 \) o
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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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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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. f6 D* m7 i2 T+ ZIn 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.$ e. X- P; J% M; O
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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9 b/ E; L n# A4 k9 }! mAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.+ e: x- s% I# k! I( b
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.+ _+ I1 t: r7 x7 Y' ~6 h0 [6 f/ ]* s
1 A9 z+ f5 h# C( UThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.$ q3 ?1 t/ _- |0 S x9 v
! D8 E$ `* x4 T& x2 |( u% \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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Burleton knows how they feel.6 F/ E" q# H+ S6 A3 K/ Y5 C
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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.; i" E9 e7 {2 q+ T6 R
% W2 I4 p* w" h: S8 d% b2 A- ?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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5 V7 v6 g& p* s" R5 Z# yWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.; r1 Y% q9 Z& `) J, c2 @8 S6 ?
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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.& `7 e; V& \# b7 f! S0 D0 d
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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.
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2 {4 P/ s& D. ]9 f; G7 P* _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.* m8 J- o" v$ B& B: L, r
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.. l2 f# r$ j! \$ k" y2 Y1 e3 `
0 G" k6 X9 _# P, a2 t& d* qDavid 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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" y3 o& b1 @! P8 S"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."1 x0 u. s* D3 h
* ~+ g) f6 ^$ A! hThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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" X7 R3 g! r7 K- f: C3 ]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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