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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.8 B6 {* d; S4 v' L# ?- M' @: K
3 N' s) ?0 m. t' phttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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0 A/ Y9 r( T9 W; lOTTAWA - 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.- F; ~- x6 [* h @
& S/ v) s; x! _ M+ F, X0 C) PPeople 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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. J. x4 ~- ~3 l$ b$ z, LIn 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.0 z" H2 X2 h1 N7 t Y4 d
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Why might it be a good time to sell?1 c% P( f) n- e/ `
; s! p! ]# ^ F0 B3 e0 i9 d7 Z; L9 i( jAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 c8 ?5 {& D; J) n
# ?5 r! G+ ?" H5 f) m"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop." w2 E2 [) i' k. k: k
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.4 X6 A2 G1 y0 X
* n- B( R3 t. I6 x: M6 ]+ @Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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6 J* [$ m6 A O2 [. m- G9 A6 o"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.
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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.# p: A- G* j0 i) P4 W! `
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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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8 u/ y& _6 h& o) \; SIn 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." l0 o ^" G% g( @+ l
' p4 D4 A& H( R7 G$ AMeanwhile, 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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' u, q4 I S. r2 jThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.* P0 v5 z2 a- J' J/ b
6 P* F/ @ J( M1 `' zDavid 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., M- `( ?4 `& b2 J. t
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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.' l$ Y: d% G$ w& n* W2 G8 E
2 q) _& }% r8 P) m5 k: v"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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; }! f# J5 b9 Z. }9 o' ]2 }The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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