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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 F7 o% w3 o: y7 t8 [/ H
0 a2 V# {* [9 R! W; D' R" ~http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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2 `0 B9 q: z1 S/ `2 fOTTAWA - 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.* @9 @- W+ I' k- K7 \3 B
2 M" G& k7 T2 g- z# v1 S3 {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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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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' w1 a( s3 w' F: h sWhy might it be a good time to sell?' B$ P$ g4 | L4 W
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.$ b% Z; V2 c3 I$ _0 J+ y& S g
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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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* ]. J$ A7 l: l3 ]- zThe 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.
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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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5 Y- K8 c& T* k& KBurleton knows how they feel.4 C3 f7 L" _( q( {7 B
6 R* y% D$ _5 Q, r% ~$ z6 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.
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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.& Y$ v, Z$ @" @+ g$ U, f5 h
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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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( |! I' b. i# R- 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.9 n) y5 ~; F5 Z8 J
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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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' p0 \) h9 ^/ _2 Q, G. b* ^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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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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$ w: Y; [7 v1 m2 r"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.! o* T7 |; H0 a8 q$ k
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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."% F& Q3 f- b$ Q
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& r! x5 i8 V- a! E" w
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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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