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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖., Q: u3 C0 f7 @/ K+ P1 `+ m. V. N2 t
6 B: ^/ H( r. `5 Nhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html5 t5 ]0 R! K$ j! ^ g
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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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# E+ P+ l9 r: l1 D2 k7 F7 vPeople 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., ]- w* x# ^& M( F z. R3 X3 Z
5 y0 i$ \2 A: Q9 ^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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# C, f0 O2 M- bWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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$ E9 E1 j! A2 k"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.
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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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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.9 K8 e! g M# i! Z1 I
& e2 M: b% A+ ]* {& M+ R- z9 iBurleton knows how they feel., l( C; J% w+ a, \- j
3 D$ T) u0 ~0 X8 ?$ k"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.* T/ G. c- v/ {, I9 Z0 v, i
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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.$ Q; ?1 S$ D, b
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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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* X3 J9 u; i" d: w$ h0 qAnd 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.* v1 T! P& A5 I! P2 N: U4 F
1 Y8 Y, z! ?' C- [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.2 \: P- q, C, c& b5 P
* s0 O* s9 w' \! U4 b"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." @2 X, \( E, c3 N8 S& z' N
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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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