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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. |" g; n% k" w, p. R
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; H: u- I) |1 C6 Y1 c) g9 |+ y4 Z
$ k. O% ?3 d! A v( B! t; m6 bOTTAWA - 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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' d- ]6 p1 A, dPeople 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.- r- h5 q- v U5 i+ v0 Y9 {( P. x
5 J7 k" v( b9 M$ B0 I( D+ PIn 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 V$ a/ J6 a! a7 I6 d
, \: L; ~& N0 z6 D+ u" X: k% eWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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' r+ A6 ~) M2 O" y' hAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank., p6 l: i$ F$ H
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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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2 \$ ?* S+ Z* Q0 IThe 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.; \. Y3 Q4 l1 P8 Q) A$ S3 F5 ]
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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.7 O& d( x3 V" T& {$ C
1 E; Q8 @5 U6 C& z7 h8 dBurleton knows how they feel.3 X* |7 T0 ~( ]. v/ a1 r( n
7 C( ~1 n6 }$ e- \$ y"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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" _2 e2 X* ^ D8 }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.. [' f2 G: D; a
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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.( B! N1 Z5 A+ C& C
8 T2 W$ k. k @! L q& tAnd 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.7 O% ^" K( Z4 _" M" T. v
+ d; I& R4 z+ I2 k" iIn 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.5 C# U& J* Q2 S8 e: _8 G4 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.
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3 Q- u* s6 F) ~' z- _"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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"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."$ X/ H& C" ^8 m
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.8 c* a; ]% d- N# w4 G
: t2 d# {1 m$ w4 Y7 b) iBut 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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