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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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, ]/ j# @( j7 f6 i# Qhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 q9 u: O$ [7 y6 I) T }9 B$ a
9 H8 \9 h# w% n; J/ P! J- ~& e' XOTTAWA - 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., s! O( v b V8 G
- u7 `0 \1 b( {4 s# D$ ]7 y4 APeople 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.
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' P2 G# m ^0 O0 N/ r: z$ w( GWhy might it be a good time to sell?& _% l1 _2 u' ]( H5 o/ F l
6 l- t0 z, p( Y2 F1 IAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.$ K# a$ @# @* ^$ K/ 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.
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5 Y3 w+ U3 f6 o$ k"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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# l% O9 q! ~0 z+ m' SOf 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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" m2 B" M8 q. A0 eBurleton knows how they feel.
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# a. c5 G4 m: x& q, {; F"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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, \1 m7 v% L+ j8 ?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.. _/ C1 y& `; s- e
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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.
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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.8 N" j" l5 l+ n5 E+ 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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.! a9 I; v& R0 i1 D
4 h6 U- H N& J* XDavid 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.9 Z2 e ~4 |1 Y6 i% z1 |
8 m; E. p; c* N/ M"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."6 l9 g1 a! p1 v2 J6 |( L
- U) W ` L4 j7 ^. YThe 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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