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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 r/ k( ~ I( M, E
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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.$ y; N3 T( d1 b9 E
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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.
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: Q' K- Z- G, s3 UIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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0 r6 M, R) J. G5 SAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.- a: N% w, K7 U) D4 P! Z
8 G; x0 U; _: g/ W2 @2 T, _* n) a"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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* W2 j! e, g' R# N# j"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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7 ]1 |5 v. n3 A* x. `The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower. N+ T& z% D. }: T$ X$ r# j" t
! T% x9 V, b \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.7 s, X. u( \1 J0 j+ W3 r o
1 c, Q m' a5 S: e1 }% z; X# L$ fBurleton knows how they feel.$ }% E. x) p. [6 ]" F: h, w4 w
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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.+ k; m* s: ?$ V9 F" A! s
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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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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 d) Z8 J2 Q- ]/ l/ u6 C# {1 L
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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.0 q' M6 o3 M6 ]' e, o. L X
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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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.+ l( i, Q0 G" G3 O, Y( ]
2 K) H( I, \( w# f& m5 X& C- z7 m+ v/ IDavid 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.5 P% d; r$ I8 q1 ]
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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. Z n, X, P. o" w0 L- {" g/ G
+ W# T5 |9 l+ w2 e: r) @2 n"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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, t3 x8 \2 m6 I" Y; GThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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! d1 n% s% w: A; S$ n- }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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