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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ L& i( n5 P! O2 O! w. p
0 F1 o5 j. h D( a L/ B- @http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- W3 d. U G. T+ Y% E+ H2 l# S
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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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/ c3 z' Z$ K/ i/ GPeople 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.- j2 k( ^+ n0 `# P& C
7 b" M9 i, L0 g: w1 TIn 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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- B. l4 d" Y, X! _6 y+ t( rAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.# E( J3 ^* ~. i. a. {* O# _- v1 ?+ p
, R+ [+ L% c/ y1 D4 Q( H8 G, AThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.7 l' \2 f4 U+ P$ ~! G
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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.; |& ~% n* [- C* V
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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.9 L$ u2 s2 V! h2 O4 ]# A' b6 i
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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.% W/ w9 ^8 N% o e* m
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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.' g! W3 a- x2 W; w& S
7 z+ O. [/ S7 r) F, iIn 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.1 n1 X B6 |( F& w* o
+ P ~$ Q1 b' \/ f1 N8 dMeanwhile, 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.( b( P6 r' b" x7 u8 b/ V; l2 n; a
: N; W# d8 X0 C7 i2 jThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# h- K( [4 G! C1 x3 @
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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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( F3 _( T% [6 w5 B8 F8 U' E"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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|4 e) k1 ?' k1 [6 QThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.3 z- a% e' m8 P! e: e& O" F3 S6 p
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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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