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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 m& [. ^% [( x
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 |9 d! b! z% r& w
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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.7 a, |3 ]; { |9 I: b, c& i' g2 Y
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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.
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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.. p& S, z. A* z: Z
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Why might it be a good time to sell?3 |2 V& F6 V# V. t
3 A0 `6 S$ w* `# D+ B2 SAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 f" V9 v' W G9 r3 x ]
3 ^" t4 _: @" |7 U1 E"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.' {% N$ ~4 J% Z6 K1 ?: t z% p
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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"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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7 o0 z+ Y: J: D4 yWhile 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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: a4 @5 ]- O" j2 a4 I) gWith 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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9 L6 @. G p- [/ Z, v% f( l7 cAnd 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.% l; }' g4 q' }) d* J( ?& S
, T% d9 `3 f0 q+ PMeanwhile, 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.2 f& U) y( N' L8 H( V
; P4 A- `/ _7 V& a( P0 fThat 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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6 e* W' K$ W3 M9 n 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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6 }, _/ c1 g% W i0 Y"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."5 `' s- P/ R* J( l4 l G
! ^8 L; `3 J4 K+ r! EThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.1 T9 n( _6 f4 x. E7 A% f1 }
' a4 R2 o1 |4 g2 |5 s' xBut 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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