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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.5 X$ P' C! [- k: } d$ g" t$ U
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html( J4 Y9 D" D4 R1 y3 ?) R
9 e5 j# c+ ^: R( ~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.6 o4 z c$ { t# t) f) k
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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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/ c, ?' r1 p' m) W8 {$ x% {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.; Q, E ^! l! G. L" U, r
% r# a; }) H0 dWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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/ | o7 T" x# E"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.% x. V& O: j, q5 J# m" ~ d9 E# |
4 w) t$ f" G) C0 I( I" O* _. rOf 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.0 Q9 f2 a' v, J; E0 q! ~
1 y/ B( s) k xBurleton knows how they feel.
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# Q, a1 N; |! g1 ^! u1 V, {6 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.% S" P0 b e, x" o/ l# t; ~
, m9 G& ^/ p% L8 m3 HWhile 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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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.3 U5 ^, j3 S* q+ W( s) W
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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. ]5 F; A$ i7 d4 b# G
# Q" d$ [0 t8 _& z* w8 H- cIn 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.1 ]* Z- I6 E+ s( n- n, f4 `
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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.
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! B( c7 `: i+ q/ e7 [3 W8 p' XThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.7 I, f( z0 V( K* o+ V; w
8 m7 f. E/ q0 Q% M Y+ m! @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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; |* j( K3 }2 Z1 h' s"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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+ k9 K, `9 R! W"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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