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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; K% y! B# @6 ~2 W! W! [5 R' v
4 @* a. z k7 K7 t6 {http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html" L& J V( L, R
/ J; G7 F" R t3 }& mOTTAWA - 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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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./ L: u$ H4 p; y z
# T+ U8 r. b+ I( t) RWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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5 c Y4 I# ?2 M$ r2 y% B3 cAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 B4 h3 M: N) v2 s# S& Q
' Z' Q9 L2 }: p"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.5 G1 s$ `9 G' s" A4 y! B+ c( N
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.1 t% y9 T$ r; R f. P, M9 P3 ]0 G
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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.
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Burleton knows how they feel.. ]% u' j5 e( \; {2 U
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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.$ H' `( N3 F1 q
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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., l* g. E4 o, f9 a
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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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) A: ~! T4 x5 X2 Z* rAnd 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." p+ A* |( I5 Y" m
9 C' z0 L& F+ E+ v% B- W1 ~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.1 `* k) I0 E+ R) I0 V5 n* M, t+ \" Y
( G+ U) @4 S mMeanwhile, 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.& r9 R5 [' S P) w% J
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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 U9 R z1 m0 w4 r; t
7 l9 r- F! @% n% c: X/ wDavid 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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* z: D& w6 b( i. s"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."
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! O: w- |; e; _' q4 FThe 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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