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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ J6 w& a* H5 ?: z
- ?. ^. D# L) r/ X7 t( [8 Z2 Bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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: Z& E7 W: b- X/ y$ 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.- n7 d2 k% J/ h
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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?& t$ H. Y, z A) {( B( V, S
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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/ G. @. C( F$ A/ w6 c"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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. Z0 J1 {5 F; b3 J6 {5 ]
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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.6 _, Q0 T( O# b8 {4 p
$ _5 z7 Q, {5 `6 Y3 N3 B4 ~ 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.
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) W/ Z: S$ k* S. Z: jBurleton knows how they feel.& t+ r( @' Q D6 |; X
' J4 r) |, R+ v$ e) z& t9 v) M"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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; ?8 Q' d* k* A( m6 z7 O+ RWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.( ^7 q9 l& ~, O* k/ _$ X6 d
* V0 P- d$ i X* B5 tWith 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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- ^0 V. H* s f* EAnd 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.
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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., I2 }# t% a% P& l
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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.3 ~# k% k8 ~! R0 e4 f
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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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; r* A# C: u3 P( w+ U"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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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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