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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ b# F$ e* n$ Y
( y' p4 X$ B+ k+ X( F/ k/ G: \http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html H. r9 K* V6 U0 r1 i+ r" U1 r
# w& Y8 O# s* B8 J* mOTTAWA - 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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. w% I- w9 q6 q% _$ x3 q. DPeople 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.+ w6 o' j$ X2 A d
. h, V+ c2 `& B- \& s! GIn 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.! |) B, B) U5 ~
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# y7 J. O( t$ m
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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., O* e" \# ^& P+ r" b1 [! }4 w2 @
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! s+ s! Z9 K! m6 Y+ s8 b3 n
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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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Of 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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Burleton knows how they feel.
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- }* y- @, A2 ^6 C% K"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.' X5 o) j! S; M# u5 x/ ]
& |% h/ G& ?! E! eWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.# Q) U/ i4 |# u, m R
' x' E$ X. L0 ]# r* U2 \4 zWith 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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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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i6 n9 t2 @" Z9 R3 Y- mIn 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.! q) `* g! k+ U
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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.- D0 F, `5 g$ T0 R& v+ P6 c
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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+ P" K! }' q' Q* 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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: q N4 Y* N$ Y9 {1 l/ H"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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& O) J8 _3 H) s. N* \+ ~2 p7 _0 ^; L"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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# Y5 N( S9 y, \: ~The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 l/ V$ J$ t$ S
4 G0 Y4 T& `9 P9 b. uBut 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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