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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 M8 x1 u" Z# h- J9 y
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html) [$ B$ v! S7 V$ }: v1 w
u" |# B! U, t& J6 J" gOTTAWA - 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 e: p# [3 _7 d# `/ x$ x* L
: A0 ]+ z+ s+ t9 U7 k* HPeople 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.3 a; H5 N" L& D$ v% o4 ^4 [
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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.* ]% I0 X" T) J7 Q% `
: S. \0 r8 s: H- G) bWhy might it be a good time to sell?4 F. S+ d+ ~9 n6 H* y7 i
1 Z4 X! n9 X" N8 O/ A! b; BAt 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.8 ]3 @ |' i! w/ d9 E
6 x" G9 X \( [+ w) D"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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# i$ }) K! M7 t"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 I0 Y, F/ l+ B2 z- g( x# ]. a
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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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5 Q9 J( v' F" b8 y; e$ n( tOf 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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9 q6 U3 C9 }: n8 T6 u# `Burleton knows how they feel.
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# ~ V! Z7 X/ Q+ t# P! |"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.+ b- k3 [0 p8 y. l8 `( n* ?
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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.% H6 k9 A5 m- D
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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.; g7 \- C) x3 G# _
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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.3 m1 l7 t* M% ]$ B( n! d( J( Y
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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.% B0 A, z4 d% G. s
+ u+ |2 F/ t w" P {1 m# M0 h( |6 OMeanwhile, 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.+ f# E0 Y% t1 D" \
* Z, [ J7 p, mThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 J4 j0 X* l4 T# N
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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., h6 q* l9 C0 U; ^4 b3 y$ ?) E
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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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* b/ U% k* p, V/ p# _"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."$ d# f+ d8 {! ?$ p& |3 ^5 U x
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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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