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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.& ]( s' x) u" ~* {& Y" R
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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OTTAWA - 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.8 j0 M3 v6 { r3 c% O7 u
. U: V: l! {9 C& H+ z" lIn 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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: D* J8 \9 \; D& A0 w1 `: x5 o( S! {Why might it be a good time to sell?* ~5 a: n% V. _; X/ K# h
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. M \. X! r4 {7 }4 t# g
' n6 _7 Q+ [ q1 e+ B3 S"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.3 R) C8 |; h6 r" l
/ N: C- O! |3 G E; R7 p"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.3 m) p1 e. i7 K2 @$ T2 f
2 b* X: u4 Y! iOf 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.7 I4 ?* r+ C0 d4 i# G+ o$ ]
, e+ w3 }7 x3 ?* X' |6 F+ H0 y" RBurleton knows how they feel.: O% A. K) A+ ]5 s
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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." [( w+ O! ?% {- d9 k2 Q+ S
0 {: A3 }: s ^6 w+ MWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way." y! v/ _4 \6 ?3 e: H1 v7 `9 ?+ h
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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.7 \5 O) b+ ]) I5 d- `9 E
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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.4 d, x: y! @! s" T* z/ l
0 [7 E9 [# K, @8 S# S/ H6 x* g0 C" n. k% FMeanwhile, 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.# s0 l3 T0 c; @
6 R/ @& [8 z8 h; z3 KDavid 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.- M, ^% H) b+ e. C
. X5 F7 I6 J+ J" w1 i"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.# X8 O/ o6 g# N* n
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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."4 E8 m( i3 Y9 I8 b7 ]
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( b! G6 U7 k, p
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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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