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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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' P1 z; C: n W8 D: Qhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- N. a- G7 X# e* @* [" g
+ b) n) ]7 c2 n# z/ eOTTAWA - 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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; C) z K" \, |' S5 W/ a7 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.
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$ }0 t" T- b8 U6 Q# }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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' q/ Y! r) L0 ~ |, L6 Z- EWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ y3 f4 Q3 n: [0 p
* ~7 T* V5 S c- n0 Y6 eAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 |$ |7 U/ D9 Q6 M. Q. m
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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.3 c" P6 W1 l" Z6 z" a8 P
% @' |; I; j2 O v- O Z7 xThe 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.* R! X8 w* l+ {) W+ Z
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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.
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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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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 X8 E# e- m- s5 L2 kWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.) [* m; m- {1 Y1 m! N/ s
( V% A8 }- R/ W/ S7 d7 ~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.( \0 H% D" l m/ ^1 ?
* u) H1 a0 h7 u9 RIn 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.* i# e/ N! X* B7 t8 D+ K9 {* @" r
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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.) {5 j% m$ F2 N2 D
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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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" L1 v9 P1 ?6 ~* G9 SDavid 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.
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# h1 J; J( L; ~* O1 x4 H5 Q"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! F' o- C& e5 r+ V
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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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