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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.: b: ?8 |0 J; l4 L- I% M
5 k: D% k; m7 k" p# h/ @http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 [. A& e( T2 O% N, F( Q# p
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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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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.- P. {. T' O* F2 }5 W
4 k( }3 \7 g5 A- r uIn 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.6 Z7 ?9 \# ~. s( Z
. d! S% K# [0 w( N* R2 x w! eWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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; U) U( f6 R2 f# j, [* hAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets./ b' C% V8 F- K t3 [ B
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.4 B8 \: d2 d. D2 z/ E/ O$ \& |
) c& r$ V# Z& E J$ W) l"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 {* H9 C2 Y+ C: p; A L. z- M8 x
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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.
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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* `; J% k6 O1 p+ X0 L$ t; t: s" x
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Burleton knows how they feel.) X+ t+ C) s3 [: S* A4 ^6 Z8 G
' V- O. Q3 m7 ^5 `# K3 p" M5 l"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.1 R& R+ s+ y: o% ]
9 l7 o& e, y! z& f; i3 Z9 \9 iWhile 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 s4 ]+ R' X( B( `3 f1 F) c
5 q8 F$ {' R0 ?; z+ G( FWith 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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n( c. H. {. y$ J: B% T" ?9 p3 mAnd 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.0 K6 h" k4 Q F6 K
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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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a" M6 B" E. qMeanwhile, 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.+ L& U$ x6 S& B) o- q
5 V1 N9 H* r- _That 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.: O5 f0 U, s+ R8 Z$ a
6 m* n0 u/ i2 s$ P( X6 Y; G"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.0 a( ~ ^0 d+ B" g \; P. K q% i3 _* M
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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."" l7 V. u: Y/ ~2 L& w9 Z% [
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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 \6 q1 Z- P. u8 o% ABut 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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