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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.6 c, F( D' d. ~4 o9 S$ ?3 T
! e7 P0 ^1 N0 n6 l+ ^2 }7 Ihttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ a9 i% e E& R& g+ n% w
# H6 W5 s8 @6 ~- D3 U# mOTTAWA - 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.- M _( p+ o+ ?
5 W! v- t5 i& i4 M+ ]# n( hPeople 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.- _5 ~- g O! v+ @
/ n& h4 [; a; \Why might it be a good time to sell?8 T) g0 x. k) l
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* Q: |- ~; u1 ?6 k) ?3 Q5 x# ~
! Q# J6 Y; m8 q7 d) M9 v"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.4 w% f, G0 m6 l* W, @+ v; d
3 B b( _0 W0 @* }' [# P+ {% f"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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3 z4 h6 P! B4 ~, E3 c* KOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.% b1 A, q, l9 K2 X) T+ y: g) C
1 ]) m$ n: M9 k( ], Y7 U7 CBurleton knows how they feel.
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7 y/ O& p; f" ]. E1 K"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." Q% J9 M' q2 Z* _' n
4 ]5 J k) v! S" vWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way." ^6 N C6 S. d
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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.0 w* k9 [# b a' t
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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. ~8 N& R% N+ U) p
3 ^' |* G" U+ G6 }' e( |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.# V, G! t5 z) w3 m$ @
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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." J& x# q0 R" a+ I; K0 u) ~
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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.5 Y% i8 y$ p/ U
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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.# e8 U1 I( h3 t
7 b( q, m. k) |"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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0 P( }- n* g- kBut 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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