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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.2 l [% g- u6 p A8 A6 h' @# U5 m5 I
1 W& D E. e! u, ?# mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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7 V7 J# |( V' b8 S) `. {6 l' |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.6 I+ \0 J$ G0 q- s+ B, X7 G
% o/ d% _0 H& U0 A$ GPeople 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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z6 V5 z: m4 |# s( w- NAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.; }" U x. q& W$ I; x5 \
7 r- G5 r+ V( }* a1 C1 U"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.+ n0 M9 Z# y9 V( w c& y: e
7 ^0 _4 V/ P& ~# @8 G) O4 Q8 J4 SThe 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.! }+ ^, Q! e/ q
$ U/ b2 { ]) W/ l) fBurleton knows how they feel.1 H* d$ Z5 h* G/ c
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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.. r. q( e ]( Q5 ]
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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.* U: |5 M/ [. [5 s
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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.& e' i* `6 x% o; f' `5 V& w
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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.5 O; R2 r9 y/ K0 Y
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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.
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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.! d# L# \" L8 U6 @# q# v) V
, Y8 F6 T: l3 f. @That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.( C& R {6 g4 h9 W; P
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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.% ^) l* s* B% q. E
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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.; O' d% Z7 v! e* m4 K
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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.. `6 U) B8 k3 [) V. \
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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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