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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., c/ r% ~6 Y# y4 P1 v* Y
" k1 M; i: d+ f. X7 j4 }8 yhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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2 P8 K. u5 a( r- sOTTAWA - 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.7 q3 B" a4 I# l
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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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5 L. x+ s7 B: Q3 g* wWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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4 o& y; Z, A* b5 y) G- VAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. e5 t' K3 D {; G) C2 G3 U9 J3 {
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.+ E: T" |3 d& q; e
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.9 Q8 ]: P& Y7 b9 ]; q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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$ g- @( U0 }) G# z, C3 z"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 N u# [5 O* y _4 d: c) @
, Q2 n7 j( C. D% L1 {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.: `2 X3 I. I2 m7 Y, f+ B- E; n# q
+ N* \$ \4 Q1 L/ g" IWith 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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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.) b1 O6 ~" m/ f( {5 S6 O2 ]% { @4 f' c
: [& P4 Q6 q# V8 q' ]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.% m' K3 w9 S: Q7 U0 a
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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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! O! x; }7 e& d, A4 n' E7 H- lBut 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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