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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 W% r4 {1 k& f& V/ h/ \) e
, Q1 C2 X( i( Z; Q0 Y! \http://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.
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& F5 j0 P1 a5 \: IPeople 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. a2 G! t' n4 c7 g- }6 l6 D
( A7 c4 u+ p) J! R& ~+ W4 zIn 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.$ W: m9 j3 B4 `2 h+ I0 Z
+ p# {, B6 o Q. C- K- qWhy might it be a good time to sell?2 D# d9 T# Z1 F5 t; a
- _1 h8 d6 k5 T# j+ |. k' Q' gAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." K& i3 x0 q3 J1 j7 F" U+ ]$ m7 p. b
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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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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/ ^& \# D5 j" e& U) R! s/ ~. \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.2 ]0 Q, d0 S( M2 {9 a1 S" n
9 ?' u0 v. J! X' yOf 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.! e; i$ O& t# `( {! j# y
! t- r. s$ Z( X4 xBurleton knows how they feel., n% S; K' o1 w: A# c
7 }+ F y) `4 o. b4 R n/ y9 p. 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.# h/ T F- E# d1 l5 ?( L
$ Q3 `" r! R2 D* Q8 Y5 v! D3 {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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9 Q8 ~2 u, U* z7 {8 BWith 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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9 b, d4 J# [4 O) R7 _3 n1 U3 TAnd 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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; }, X& p k! q$ E$ t+ w1 a6 HIn 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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' C# S% p# x) U+ y% j9 U% p: W. @" ?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. V/ `& x$ u6 P* y8 w7 y2 K/ e# {
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That 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.
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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.
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- ~0 I. j, X- w$ Z+ C0 m"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."5 C, A2 U7 X+ ~" z
! a9 M% R+ i) T$ ~& ?2 }The 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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