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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 g" F! m' k1 }' J4 Z8 l% P0 N
1 r! K0 t3 l- Chttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html( m5 j0 {1 G3 V
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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.
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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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( M5 e6 d, [1 M) r1 I: KIn 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.$ ~6 O3 D% _) L8 ?0 x2 M
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." S. f: k2 o( C% k
( f/ W5 Q+ w- I1 Z% M0 X6 q8 E! _"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank./ M0 f2 D- }- @8 O: q. Q, @/ p* S
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.6 l( @# a6 r$ V
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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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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., E) I* @% C: W- v/ |
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Burleton knows how they feel.7 e; ?4 A7 V8 r) {$ ]6 \5 i
7 Y8 e- Q8 W: J0 y+ r8 @"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.! B+ S4 Z9 e, `9 n& o
2 M0 R9 y3 w6 L" y7 S2 Z* hWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.# [3 v3 J7 S5 s: O3 h1 ~, b& C
. J- S3 ~( @2 i" k7 ^. h! U( g$ P$ LWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.+ n3 Y* o! e, }/ m
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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 c' [" C4 A7 O3 ]5 A: |8 U
6 K; e$ h, j v$ j& G/ h, XIn 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.; t2 \* j& g$ e0 b$ B% E4 n
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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.2 P' B& `0 I! d+ ]9 ]
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.9 ?$ |$ Y4 [$ b9 l: _3 Y
( Q! P- J. u. D& J9 ?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.
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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."* e1 E3 T2 J) b+ L( K
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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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