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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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" w2 w; B; a( X9 ?" fhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 f) _8 { W$ ~& h& S$ {) m' f
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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.2 H5 Y0 I7 [3 {4 E5 K
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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.3 }0 W% P6 B' S4 F
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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., E& ~% t& W( ?# v9 u8 a
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.9 _# P, X! @! ]% W# H q! [
; h l3 L' P" D. q- W5 B+ @"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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$ P$ B* s# D- S8 L/ f' N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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3 n+ Y. L$ Y4 u$ Q& QThe 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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4 K+ n- }) p/ j8 hOf 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.5 e9 s/ n. b8 k# c. `" R: X
# D0 O$ a0 v# T* Q' [8 vBurleton knows how they feel.! d& q% d6 I5 O2 u: q4 D/ J
* K" a* @% k. U# g) g"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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4 f4 A/ {" w, u6 G* I# ~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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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.
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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.
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: v |9 }& \$ N" W, m6 ]( IIn 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.' [+ s. x3 Y! `% O5 j) q
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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.
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4 m8 S7 j- K h! }5 [' z* qThat 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.) l$ u V$ k; i0 _1 f
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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.* v3 \7 l3 p6 P# E* H
2 n" D4 J0 x2 p"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."+ F* a+ w: M$ W5 b# b' X
8 [# i" W, U. }The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act." o+ L2 @' R4 A! F3 p
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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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