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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.! L$ N( G9 o7 F" o. R
6 `" R- Z. m$ N; B( \5 A; o: ^http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: l0 s( r- M3 U1 s6 U1 d5 D* k
$ u# }1 g3 P6 r9 e" I, [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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9 \% ?% s3 A: s- l' ` t- EPeople 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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. b1 Z. w8 v6 m/ GIn 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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# d. s* A3 O4 Q1 l QWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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5 R9 k3 N+ `( HAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.7 T3 E. A" z) q$ L' E: H, }
1 H0 K, x/ {; }2 P8 |"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.6 {$ C% f9 C; P" Z, t
2 M0 \$ x; V3 Y! n/ 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.: H/ W( o) b7 o3 u5 ]- W
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Burleton knows how they feel.% p4 c) S u3 r8 k8 `# r
( _* G& n' {1 @- v4 ^"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.8 R+ L, O9 t4 u) |5 Y5 i: B
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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.
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" \7 a1 H7 G, P$ U; \- {$ m" l9 GAnd 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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& L( t# i/ A% l8 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.! x; L# t. E5 g! P5 b
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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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 e+ n" y: C9 d/ _* ?
% s- N5 s/ q6 W1 |( G( EDavid 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.# L# t ?) @9 h, u' f1 w
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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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"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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6 u0 v( s8 S, l* H9 iThe 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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