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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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r3 l# o5 Y# I) _5 hhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, }6 }) T* _( q+ h. l" i
' m' }, X9 |( Q$ R: C H( OOTTAWA - 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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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.6 I% |# a3 Z/ h& c& h* y! [1 n
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Why might it be a good time to sell?! C- c6 Z' Q, E) s1 f: ?
7 L; ^5 R' Z8 S1 \At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.( o2 g+ T8 V ]. u4 M5 y/ ?
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.7 Q5 }( X- R; _7 ]
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.8 |. ^9 C5 [8 ]9 _ v
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Burleton knows how they feel.7 F- y7 ?+ b( x4 k) C
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.8 ~0 I+ S7 h. F" B
/ H- b$ k. K7 {! \' ?7 DWhile 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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, ?2 v% s D$ U9 }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.6 ?# K% F: l8 k( x6 ?
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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./ S( l- @* d# p. \: H* s( v
9 Y3 M* x( ]& c5 zIn 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.4 b7 F) K) u; h1 W$ p: S. {! q
# X6 V6 d. _2 _& j' M- EMeanwhile, 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.$ Q9 w& Z2 p6 e7 ?1 F, v
8 }1 S( n8 R' d! i2 jDavid 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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% l1 \7 j! J7 _' R! p1 H' S"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.- M9 f( m1 ?& @2 |1 Q7 P
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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.") R5 M6 j% k0 u2 u) q
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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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