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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; X ?, M9 ]! i+ ^: t$ W
6 y0 d- G; q, J- Phttp://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.' [/ {5 C6 t% s B \% R3 W6 `
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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.% g% |3 p' j5 m& Y4 p
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Why might it be a good time to sell?( d! X/ z/ q' E8 ]0 Q7 v& d# L: F h
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.. q+ w7 E& G- Y! Y
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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2 I5 ~, I/ p7 j' M$ D6 Z. Z"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.) v8 z/ e& R [+ c! A- J7 D) N$ e
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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.
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6 P3 m0 P: L' ^% C; aOf 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.* O' u0 Y1 |# Y5 R8 Q6 i
9 P! D |% h/ DBurleton knows how they feel.+ p- c9 F0 z& ^% `) M
( v5 Z( S: W1 `$ B"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.9 P# Q3 ~6 y, J! W9 q! _
2 c5 I% z* r$ @; c% ]6 sWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.3 `6 H7 Q& u) L) f
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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.7 U0 e0 Y' X- P* }5 u0 c
! A1 Y# ]% _( E S" n' sIn 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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1 }# N* v% f7 zThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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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"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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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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