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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* g! Z8 H" u" y$ b2 S
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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0 b: n. {) K+ \9 j9 n1 L8 j% `2 U( KOTTAWA - 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.
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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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3 s# h1 m; I g H1 o9 g$ YWhy might it be a good time to sell?+ P2 d- T3 W( t
2 v/ h) f; D, WAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.+ j; S4 n: V n: e
. Q7 a0 ~7 w7 g" P3 `! y"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.1 n% K. E/ m+ r4 D5 g' Q
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. h& a' ]1 z- e1 m4 a# m' e
) } k( v$ { {' W2 p# }7 H/ iThe 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.2 |* L3 |' N' E0 q7 L* B
. t" L; s4 D3 s7 COf 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.# @' f7 i# g) {; m/ m( M# L
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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+ N: G( Y1 B. a% a9 o5 ]"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.0 Q# i. h' X [8 H6 F, L
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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.0 N+ p: b! H* t/ d5 \' [# t' @9 T& t
P1 X. u% o0 V' @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.) M8 c% P' i% S. n. N
S8 f; y3 E1 s; z# UIn 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.. {. [4 @) L1 R% d$ U
1 \. G; `# c5 U& D8 n0 j) F& _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.7 q4 X$ F' y! p2 Y
$ i$ z, n% I u# c. ~" O7 JDavid 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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"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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2 J3 E5 J- r' p- }- D) k: v. L: r6 J. i"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."& t# r: G- O1 b. Z
, x6 A5 V+ U2 S- K1 p" tThe 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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