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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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. ~' y+ B7 z- U' j% c! R# [http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html k) u9 n% j& ?; n
8 @0 N% k' k4 rOTTAWA - 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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& [" v$ ]. q7 PPeople 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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2 q2 U1 S* g) q& h6 ~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.- z9 n, Z7 I3 b3 A8 ~! \
3 x) f+ r+ {* C& |& rWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ s" x/ W+ U1 H
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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' r5 t$ w% c; J) k* `. H6 |$ ?% @& I: F"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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 e T8 X+ D/ E! r
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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.8 T( K5 K$ h t+ f5 d# a
- K! P c' Y+ J* SOf 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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7 m- b- U( Z0 f! R" ?Burleton knows how they feel.3 |3 P% L' Y! e( U1 b- x
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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.6 [. L9 ^# k. X/ i+ V! d7 |1 |
5 R/ H$ t q% ~6 y) Z9 _" ^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.' ?2 f4 |; A- w8 S- B# c# N
8 O4 o! E, v# Z% `: P& M! [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.
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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.4 [3 D3 x9 Z. e$ E5 @
, v. x6 k; c8 x, @2 d0 TIn 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.8 [2 E; N- J0 X$ z( g/ j
# u; J4 s5 u( r7 q& h; R+ [) M4 HThat 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.; a( z$ h# u) _. P! V; [! s
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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."5 C. i! {+ I4 c
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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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8 F/ ^5 ?: B* A+ ^$ E' T+ ~6 lBut 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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