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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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6 A7 R% R8 \' m1 S4 ]9 H7 G; Mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html0 A7 v, r- N) Z8 R) p( ^ x! S
! ~ m, R3 ~/ ?: c$ |' j8 DOTTAWA - 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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. I$ y3 W0 m8 X7 `6 g' _- s$ KPeople 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.: ?) E0 M% W u4 s
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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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: Y- m! n$ {' @' @Why might it be a good time to sell?4 f7 Y: B% o- G9 p. Z. z2 W
9 f8 O3 v2 L7 x3 \5 U. _: IAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.6 x! u, F0 Y- ?: C
, Z2 A1 `9 v, _# V"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- r- Q$ V' J) f4 V3 e; ~
* _0 P) b0 Q" E% N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.' H$ I& D* C# Q: r' [+ v4 a/ v! p7 w/ q
# Z* ]6 ?% o9 v0 L( p0 kThe 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.) H& N4 [" ?7 ]7 @' s4 X$ C
$ w" C7 u0 w1 h8 @) {, B U# g# LOf 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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. M L9 A8 Z) q" r) y6 o9 JBurleton knows how they feel.7 ]+ o: V: I# {! v5 [: V
8 N( _4 b% J+ D3 X"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.: x# [4 G" p2 k! p" c% ]( Y G
& R! f& m/ u7 q# x; S7 fWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.4 z/ H) D, q4 R3 s& O5 M6 M
1 g* M3 H$ e0 _6 @" y) S4 cWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years." o# P; E7 [9 M; l
" `7 f1 ^3 n/ W& D5 AAnd 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.
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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.7 i' N0 |0 `* }8 T1 f3 ?0 q: k
* g& n T1 O2 V"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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9 Q& z2 T( r0 e" w. v"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."" J* j/ ]: L& B3 F
4 @. s h9 S' _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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