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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* _6 j7 |) _! ~' b
2 ~5 C7 s4 {5 ~7 }" G0 N( t/ rhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html/ q! A5 K7 l N. | f
& s! N; Y# s+ J' ~! |; BOTTAWA - 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., r. M+ `0 t% G$ w/ _
; j, L; G2 i# f, JPeople 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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+ V- e" c$ R2 kWhy might it be a good time to sell?3 \. n; n/ R( I, C6 q
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.) Z4 D5 Z3 p2 C) n8 @6 y2 h& b- g
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.' a/ M( g! f* U6 {
" K' |7 R& \5 \"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop./ J) r# `* s: Q' z
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.7 n- k8 N+ ?& {+ r5 y% t3 C2 ]
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.9 N) _8 {6 t" z, j
6 L( D- }( k4 \9 [; X. ?/ ?5 IBurleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.+ |6 E4 C8 w; _" a$ @) _
5 }) Y! n7 J$ V& Y6 W- NWhile 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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, O5 N# D @# s* ~' ?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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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.
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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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7 `) x# u. [$ e$ I& c4 `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.
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2 I. F8 U, h! T K d, x( P* }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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I# d: m6 v L4 @8 t; F" R( K; u"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."% M2 |* k# R& |% S
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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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