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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖./ I5 E7 K/ n1 ]9 i6 ^' ~& t! m
7 R1 Z! F" K: s6 C$ G& |* [http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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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6 w0 D9 _* a4 }- z: Z0 z) H) OPeople 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?7 ~: K) {4 `, v1 l- f
~$ _; b! C/ e c* y/ o4 U1 sAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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3 X& D9 ]" W& s/ Z; w"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.; ~( z3 ]8 a: {6 j
2 q+ |/ I9 D3 n' q t"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. f* d, X" a& b, J
2 G% G1 P; y$ b- P4 s8 tThe 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.
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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.
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: a# K1 e1 }( \3 D( }Burleton knows how they feel., P- c) L. r1 b, R% A
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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.6 Z c; [8 H) t @( _' N1 M/ S
1 l( i. u0 ^+ KWhile 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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( v0 \' ~/ G a" F% n0 NWith 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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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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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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7 w( A1 {) z1 Z) E+ MThat 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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"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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0 m( h* W% Q8 R1 k. c$ u+ K5 \"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 k) O- q# X$ l1 s# R _
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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5 O& E3 r( P% E ~, O3 b# o- {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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