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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- K* q; b' f J" p; a
8 x) o3 C4 B3 P6 [/ ghttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 t/ e5 M9 ^2 C9 U
* k5 K; o( k" a. T! WOTTAWA - 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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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.$ h4 a( F9 L- g! V" F. \: B9 C
4 _8 Y3 G. {& n0 N7 o# OWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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& I1 }2 h$ x, t3 K! }" KAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.. h- h9 y( n$ b: |
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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.. G9 M2 d# K: u4 }. n
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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+ D* o# n6 ]
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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./ O X. o4 R. |% Y7 U
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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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& C, Y, m" G4 `" [( o, @Burleton knows how they feel.+ |, r/ V1 j" U, d# Y9 w; S: u- q0 q7 w
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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.& o" S4 |( u" O5 a) F* p$ V6 u" E* o
g8 {% f$ g- N( U# O JWhile 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.
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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.* n( P* {* I! m: o* o7 _# b( T
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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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+ j5 k5 E0 E. Y# {' U$ A/ v( OMeanwhile, 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.9 m' `+ b/ V4 F! ~0 u0 o
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.7 o. u, l8 l0 G) r/ [
# M! x6 X8 t6 M: t' B4 VDavid 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.% o, O! B) h4 y. l/ E0 D5 ]$ }/ H
9 G5 G' m& h! y( Q"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.- T$ W# g6 q4 [
3 s, M8 Q3 s5 I# v! W# M" P"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."6 N& M' y# g* P4 \0 g0 O2 l! P H
! W- x$ M( i) h s; M/ VThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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! |7 p* q: t4 J0 nBut 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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