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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.5 w6 Q/ q, i+ u+ }, X1 g9 z# Y
, [4 Y( b0 h: m/ j. r5 y- ~# vhttp://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.* J# P! g* Y8 _2 G$ `4 R% d9 {) Z
- k2 L" L! o& r. R0 N9 W/ }. ^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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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.' Y, b8 f2 x5 M7 M! P* ~! }2 S$ s1 n
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Why might it be a good time to sell?! ]% r& x' O9 A$ x. k- k- M
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* a0 S2 y$ J3 d9 R& M) P
3 d+ x% r( b8 X) y"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.( k% r% C2 s" ?; A% e+ u
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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.% A$ q; [' G1 y# a
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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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# f: C2 Z9 M) J$ G- x"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.
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) f& P1 t b& F" RWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.4 X- C9 Q5 w* ]8 v, I1 N/ I/ S( H
# |/ C( [3 @" [& ~- iWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.! f! a' b6 T$ C, Z# T0 b
/ {) y2 F6 ~- z0 o! kAnd 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.$ A* \- j7 U$ ~/ ^7 k S9 ?, l$ `% I
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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.) R+ w- Q% g6 E1 g* T' f7 e
3 D5 w, Z7 x3 x' }. c; S: `' {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.* c7 F& g2 R9 p% [1 {
6 \! [( Y' `: ]" @: z) C1 i* ]That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 F* e6 q+ I% \
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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.
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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.4 `8 X0 B3 F$ _) v$ m: }9 n
$ s+ S0 q: A# ?2 ` J"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."7 I7 _! k: l. w3 I- |8 ]
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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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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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