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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# K# t7 s7 A) y0 ?, t5 t2 ^
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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/ E$ [/ R; B) q" q7 y" H. SOTTAWA - 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.3 ]. \, l" B9 t5 z, A
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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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$ X, q- ?& w/ P* }- I5 y( D4 VIn 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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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.' h* _; V/ e8 G8 R9 o" Q6 j9 N
- Q7 _. G) C. ?1 T"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. E F# w, k# d j6 H4 r, m$ h5 i
) Z5 H+ m, ^% \4 p# s; g. JThe 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.1 s; B) ]+ Z5 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." a, k- u: o% a0 c, W% P& L7 b: B
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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.2 ^% J% g7 r! V& i
# r# o: q+ V0 u! ?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.5 L/ T5 } n( e3 @, a
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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.5 A8 j! i( L' [( c! D3 V
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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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: T" O1 B& Q- K6 Y% d3 _5 aThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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. P" [" e) k1 x" A. C3 z6 MDavid 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 h/ {$ ^2 r3 {& C+ a; L
7 t8 c) [3 X9 V1 L+ U8 Z"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 g+ _. J2 j7 ]5 C. T) j
4 W6 `3 v& p# }6 I2 q& g# h( [9 h"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.) C) {+ \$ p: p6 Q
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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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