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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 w7 z2 j9 _( T7 s9 o, L6 r8 M4 v
7 j g- }, z7 ahttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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( |. M+ H# F+ \8 A6 x. u/ S; E: u5 pOTTAWA - 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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& r) k4 x% n' o7 Z9 F3 g' l6 M$ rPeople 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.0 Y( H8 d- H6 F+ _2 x9 J
* X' g" v( g/ }0 tIn 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.' c3 I4 ?4 X. h/ c- Y7 X
$ }, w( s8 D7 \% [" P7 Q# hWhy might it be a good time to sell?; C- J( U8 C- s* h! z* `, a
* g0 [" T- |- AAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets./ k/ |" u% O6 U3 Q) L
1 q0 m) L9 G: a2 K% S" I @"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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2 K3 S/ J5 h( W0 M2 d7 K. v, N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.$ Q9 q: b# Z U( M: [+ p/ p: O
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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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% g# |: @( y5 M# ~0 }8 I( 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.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.9 p; V/ k/ t V0 u
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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.
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; f7 Q) |6 i, dWith 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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, Q- R H# {5 {) ^: tAnd 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.% H# G! }0 E( x7 w5 Z" N
& t% n, S! y2 z3 H- rIn 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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9 r+ x; _7 j" P8 P8 S% t; h/ A. I1 [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.' \4 u4 k* S. \/ \& F
5 F! _* W( N3 ^- U" @( G g: tThat 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.6 q$ S) o. r0 L. S# V2 |
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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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# I Q( Q4 l& x! ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 H$ j1 k, j8 `* w
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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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