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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.% o# t% v* b! w# M/ u
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html% {) c; n, _: D! {- R, W+ J& ]
' }6 @( K8 d1 B4 |5 B/ L; \3 U8 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.& L n' t; }9 ^7 E, C
: ?; y+ j/ U8 D+ p+ j' k1 LPeople 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.$ C. G* B% S9 x; r7 D; z8 T. J' w
! b$ u0 I' \8 l: `+ eIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?& m3 x. ], L. q, _; s* C
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 Q7 C2 Q$ S/ Q+ i
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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.
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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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9 U( P0 |8 t5 ]2 D% dOf 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.; p ]+ _) }- [6 _& r
, K; M2 M) u7 E6 t) `; SBurleton 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.* z1 w* X2 A' d3 E. d6 E
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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.
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3 x% K* q- E+ d3 `/ i0 z5 UWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.4 i. o# M7 P5 ^
4 {. ~, |9 `7 O- F' N$ C3 R iAnd 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. X) V7 A3 [" A% n: N& K, G
& j! V6 E2 L$ m8 ?" C0 ?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.4 `# o4 w2 f. e8 A9 x( U& {+ z
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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.
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2 |: C) U+ W# k& |1 R"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."
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1 T5 _: b8 F! T: h; w' xThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! d! r5 E4 h% X* l( d
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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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