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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# @$ x( v" u6 `- v9 w2 p
+ K! q6 L/ W2 ~- A9 Ehttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 Y. b1 f" t3 U) o% q& |( t+ X
( Y4 C- I% `. v! R3 l2 C' BOTTAWA - 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.9 X0 N0 A. B9 u- Q- n
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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.) c8 B. g) T. s
' f+ e! J% M9 F% U0 sIn 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.. e, }, h( x0 v8 i$ k
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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5 H/ ]2 l; t2 Q# g) p: H6 AAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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3 U0 [1 _$ J- S5 m; n7 V- t4 J"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. {) ]% u' p8 |- p n* P2 q" |
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.% S' Y& r" Z/ u8 Z7 i% a% N
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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.& A. n, O. I+ z# o. e. l' f7 ~
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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.! T) C, E2 j" f P$ a1 H
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Burleton knows how they feel.1 B! z$ J3 z# k, D2 c) ]
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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., i( t8 E/ ^2 G; d
3 X* l6 t" ~$ ^% uWhile 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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8 d% q1 u" V" M6 ?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." T/ O% b C9 d
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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.- ?/ H- [0 l' |0 x0 v7 q
4 }$ H8 \3 }" GIn 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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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.$ ]! Y9 j* ~9 X, G
$ y- d% {' K2 ^ tThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.) l$ b" g- B4 s
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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.
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. O% [/ K5 a; `+ J5 W/ |$ s& x2 F"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.: j) V1 w4 P! S0 k( q, \6 ~
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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."1 l1 H7 w& x- ~1 ?
! H e0 Y- _' a- b* p" q- \The 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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