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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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. {- d) s: ?, v7 Ehttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.
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& i0 }( \" k" i _8 f1 s% PPeople 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.) a) s- a4 S, O: `9 q1 S
, g, G$ z; b1 E% W: HWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.8 I( j' \1 ~, ?* A
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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: X7 M) C& J. N kOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.! a7 r1 ^6 h' J1 [& N$ k: j6 Z
. J5 c6 h5 M4 H. s* \& eBurleton knows how they feel.% @ Y M" y2 r9 n3 B z- `
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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.+ @7 b7 n& P; h9 c
% q' X* `; K- }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.4 h' g6 J+ `* u' d, f
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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.+ e* _3 E; `* p3 @! R+ `
$ Y6 d4 a; O6 N1 c% {: M! `- G5 ~$ {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.
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8 P" z) x# M3 ^' t: oIn 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." P0 U2 C( X5 `# x
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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.! ^, Y$ {: O% {5 K: x% ?
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.1 l5 A2 d2 U; M% j
# h# X' \! z: q8 K- ~; VDavid 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.+ ~; f3 H7 d& N5 A) P
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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.6 N$ m* ^7 _' S
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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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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' Y( O# n9 {: q5 j- x5 n* X5 e3 J5 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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