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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* ~' d/ M. J& w/ ~2 F7 e
; d" H& {0 C5 Vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.
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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.( g5 G2 b+ g( u
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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.0 N* h5 H) f* Q, E* r5 c
5 g8 ]* k& V6 b" r' Z% `& RWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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G" N& g6 u) Q6 y. s, b/ aAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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+ {: X* k* q. E: P X! K; X/ j. n0 ~"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.# Y, |4 N9 Q7 i2 M+ a+ W; Y2 K
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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/ G: l1 P! L+ b* _- K: |. aOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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: ~1 a$ ]7 K0 v5 E5 YBurleton knows how they feel.
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6 P% T5 f) @$ Q7 U"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.
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6 A5 T) q' C7 d8 ~$ B/ u/ ~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.0 i0 ~) G0 G5 L1 o0 O
: ]$ Y; ]( e7 ~. n* j' q5 b6 b2 v- rIn 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.; Z0 O/ G6 j2 H" H# V8 t* S
6 }% {* U) C4 y# JMeanwhile, 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.9 O6 S2 O. _0 J; H! ^" S
6 i+ q5 {5 n. }0 @4 }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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"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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6 L2 \+ F. Z; W! o* J"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."+ A i: d& `; V# E
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% O# k2 M# a$ M; ], y& ?
3 u# w4 x4 ?' K' [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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