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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.! [9 O4 _ T2 K+ ~% z7 m
. e8 l5 g: ^8 a& U6 `$ shttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html2 M$ c4 c2 j. Q8 c Q( N- ^8 \
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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.% _1 O) n4 b1 W
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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.' o# L# w( o- @) X) ]' t z: Z
5 ~2 q: S$ U+ jWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 s6 N* V4 v/ Y; X- S
; [. H2 G* @8 L( Q( p: EThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.( h/ w7 U- C% }! o1 W: a! K
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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% T) x, H9 s7 k, i# i! `8 WBurleton knows how they feel., t, t1 x8 ^3 q' Y9 i3 F
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.3 o8 m5 R) ~0 b. a/ |( k2 y! u( \- j+ h
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While there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.8 x% e7 X$ ]! Q$ P I
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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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( e$ `" L. m9 [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.9 G+ b( i* a( `3 ~( H
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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.4 |4 S& L0 F5 d* T+ [: b9 r
1 `& Y5 ^$ Y" c$ g# Z$ q" BMeanwhile, 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.9 R( K& Y! i& ]
2 _) F a- `' VThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- f! U8 c7 s8 j- G
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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.5 I6 a1 D' N" y+ t p+ J
0 T4 I+ q8 l( ]"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.; W* p& B# T [" F0 H
( j5 Y w: q, w7 f& t2 [' ~, L3 m; q4 q+ h- ]"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."7 K6 c, H6 n* g# c1 c
* ?+ D0 F* E6 a$ N# qThe 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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