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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 b/ C! o' W7 L1 U. D6 O3 i
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html( P/ `8 ], g9 ]9 d
* M% X4 S! G$ k! Y+ X1 AOTTAWA - 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 U# o6 Y( w5 d$ D* s- {+ m4 c
: O k& n; D c4 f) SPeople 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.5 U+ a9 t0 i) x: O& A- k* f
f T: c) K! m ]0 H) l) eWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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$ G& v6 t8 K; n) }7 U$ L4 N2 g5 DAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.9 S3 y# F# X4 X5 t* p
6 ?* n: H$ W; R* g"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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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6 h8 d( m% k% v0 OOf 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.' z* w/ H$ r$ C" r& w
9 }; s' d g1 ^- N% g, }"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./ C. R" ], v- B5 A! T# H
$ L6 `0 h9 c# P- O- Q) TWhile 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.
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: K, m8 u& B% e) zAnd 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. P$ ~* C) n# g6 ~3 [
+ \( D3 l. t+ u' q; I8 b+ \8 x- eMeanwhile, 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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* D8 {) l# B! ^' a* p NThat 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.7 S: B- b- F& A* q7 A5 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.3 c, }7 y- Y5 v2 a9 B% S- j+ r
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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."4 S1 M8 W! v" U; J+ O2 M3 h
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% q T7 t/ z' R- E3 b
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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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