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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖./ P: l6 _5 d7 x
. Q+ g& q3 e4 s5 E& ghttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html+ j9 K- ?) `3 h
6 ~: |, d/ H( S X1 Q2 E4 ?, COTTAWA - 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.0 [ v' n. u2 i* S
( D0 P# b( z9 I) d7 o: MPeople 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.- G0 Y- y. q( Z5 W) i0 Z' g
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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) ]. B B, ?8 F+ F" Q; A) |
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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& u2 |: M$ }! |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.6 r% f. y9 ]: |+ ?
! Z6 ~ \! L' w [0 J"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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5 o% z/ X& l3 \) B/ N8 W6 iThe 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 Y1 e5 |- y9 D+ C; H9 ~' S0 U
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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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Burleton knows how they feel.
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- l2 p* }$ ]) g/ N* N9 t"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.0 e& W0 H0 A% `# p
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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.
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# q# y" X5 C- o4 F7 y6 SWith 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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7 h$ A6 G& C% LAnd 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./ H" F3 e. L4 c+ H
' u# Q c; B; O" Z6 lIn 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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. E% a4 C3 E, A1 q6 g4 ^5 a" a- H9 gMeanwhile, 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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; x6 e5 M3 _% `" n! j$ h8 [That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ M6 P& q/ o; q W2 r E7 K2 K
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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./ q5 Z0 p/ ^4 \
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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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"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.
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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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