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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ p) \6 U7 v0 T6 {- U5 E9 f( k
N" D8 o; @/ }: Z4 Bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- Z$ H: E q2 g6 U% b3 |
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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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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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0 c+ `; s J$ O6 |2 ^1 mIn 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.' W3 _! c8 n; P! n0 L* R6 _
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Why might it be a good time to sell?1 I. Q$ b c7 j8 E
0 E @5 Z% R [. g3 eAt 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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5 \) D; l; Y6 }4 \$ Q"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 f {4 H2 f6 E2 t' P8 |8 |1 h: T
, c* D9 y% e9 s: x+ A0 a# k"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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E1 l1 W; Z) UThe 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.& z: |4 R7 X- G6 J7 L
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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.7 P8 r9 V G5 V% H _
' @% ^, t5 |( q0 VBurleton knows how they feel.8 k0 y- H1 d' c6 o, Y
3 ?2 Z5 c( @- R8 B% P$ c* {+ o9 m: 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.
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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.8 ]6 k0 W* M' p$ N5 `: Z$ c9 _
: n# [- ?9 ~) QWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.8 @' b5 e X8 ] V# v! c3 v- V" Q
; h; \4 J- r; d& }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.2 I& P- U! Y" Y! W
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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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0 [) a6 S% F% r1 B4 QMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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) Z6 F, K7 L3 d* XDavid 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.9 ^4 e. q' @3 c. ]5 j
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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."8 l. W4 ]! x6 s' @
3 p5 Q, N0 M) o7 }! g2 oThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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8 T; x4 V& r c! _' w! kBut 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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