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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., O1 a' G* n/ R Y$ B. j
$ N7 n; e( S* ^! dhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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* C- s9 [# E$ f Y/ E6 UOTTAWA - 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.& g8 y! U% m0 n- [; {3 \3 P
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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.* u$ ]7 h4 d( l. @3 Q$ {& w2 h
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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.3 f( p1 W5 H# W# M
X* e0 X- P6 ]# W' y: F; ?Why might it be a good time to sell?3 l1 n5 P8 w8 t7 z" k' m5 F$ d
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.5 Z7 r! F8 W& e* H/ D
; ?. S# E m4 K"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 K' H6 X( k8 y/ x+ z& S$ j4 N
1 }$ s* q. D/ NThe 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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8 w! R% C0 @) s1 zOf 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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7 M; [6 M+ L/ a& O/ j+ g"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.$ m0 k$ @0 o& [- S0 u
v; \8 M/ d3 yWhile 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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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./ L2 m2 Q+ T+ l% c* \! J. y
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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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' c$ a8 V4 W- X' [6 [4 @8 CIn 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.2 S2 i6 \4 |) O7 A( y+ i0 g
, t( V9 n) E0 R6 Q( \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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. K: r3 T' o- |& U7 n3 J8 gThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 R9 e0 u: S. ~5 p
' J" b( u, e4 wDavid 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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2 D( d+ q- _) \) ]( N f"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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; i% \9 o* B. g; g; {"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.* R) w U7 `+ U$ B
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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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