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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., v/ A% w1 _3 p; c6 X3 b
, Q8 O4 b$ p- s: e) S& v$ ?3 N+ jhttp://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. Y( D% \& P/ y9 k: N
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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.) }5 O+ l7 f" K1 ^8 C2 n o
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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.
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4 |( y( n! l. j' z+ Y( W. q$ @Why might it be a good time to sell?( n) j0 X3 L! i. y
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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' R9 Z8 U9 T. d8 K- o, s) Y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 B" @1 T6 A2 O$ P. B
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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.! }; N% Z4 K" q, k
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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.$ u! e: z+ _8 S) n
! V( Y; g9 h& c4 S"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.1 h& n/ Z1 n" l$ t" K7 p
* u, q% `# y2 J( E' w6 X8 PWhile 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 Y) R7 _. l1 t/ b, f
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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 _; U% G8 @, N( d& R6 t& X; d
i% t5 m4 p+ `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.% E- S1 H, t" W
! ^( l# \& O5 I; B0 Z: X0 qIn 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.+ A( k4 e0 }/ F5 t/ l8 ~ |
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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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, U- d0 x E' w* H% |5 AThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.7 n! I) ?6 f# ~! \6 D; n. `
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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.8 I$ Q. @% ~% z O2 |( `3 Q8 Q
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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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.) n8 G& t) c: ^) \
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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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