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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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. L) x2 u! ]0 q0 H" G+ q- \& b: whttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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; {. h6 u( U/ b! n5 Y6 a- f3 GOTTAWA - 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.7 e: I7 ?6 R+ Z
- H3 `9 z% K( Q ]9 ^% T+ P/ hIn 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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$ U: R& j6 `+ H' WWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ C; B& _. K# F% ~/ N
, E0 q ^0 `% SAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* W5 Y7 u# \9 q: a
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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; F: o- b" E8 P. f& Z& v) h"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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) A: l+ d; }% E, `The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.6 O3 M) z6 P! s+ A \/ G, b; h/ B
) J& L i1 r$ M/ f+ uOf 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.% ]; @/ E8 z% s8 N: m& M9 ^ N! L
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Burleton knows how they feel.$ H; n* ~; \3 i0 q+ J
8 Y' T4 l8 @! v) M: C2 \6 |"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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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.! e& z- ~6 Q0 C/ v
5 K+ \ n* Z( j8 T. d) }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., T3 R. ^( V) k# g( J) B, _, }5 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.
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4 i5 D9 E$ A1 a1 |! XIn 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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; c) L* d' J% K& i1 D) RMeanwhile, 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.1 A9 _/ `9 Y+ I/ ^2 G3 u! e" M: Q5 B
) ~( w2 A& o! _% QThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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E6 i' F! |1 G( U; ?5 v& tDavid 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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"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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/ r) d' E# ?2 ~8 E6 i1 gBut 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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