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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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+ T. d/ e. v8 m/ shttp://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.$ ^0 c; `* O& v+ Q* W
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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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7 e) A/ O6 z: O/ |# X* nIn 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., F2 U5 B& n6 h
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Why might it be a good time to sell?; j! h6 V, b6 {( C! [4 t
# I" n% ^" L- k. H) ^0 FAt 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./ n) @& v- w. m. H: l
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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.3 k# V: z' @/ `* ?
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. P. u) ~% N6 \, t: ]
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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.+ h3 n! ?2 E( n
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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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. {2 W- [ o% A4 S" @% fBurleton knows how they feel.
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: ~- I) b/ S6 y3 \"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.! l. J# f8 C& C& X* h2 g; i
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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.6 P g# @. D: [+ {2 z
( ]) H0 ?1 k- i- h7 l* B% k: b- GWith 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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9 y+ d% O/ a1 T- R5 xAnd 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; w: D H, e/ G
$ ^) o( g, p p7 q# P6 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.1 y! f: @) V5 w
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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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# H' {- t! E& T3 D2 K2 x9 C$ IThat 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.5 _# _6 [/ I2 d2 J
$ U% |, Y: x% o, x9 k- @"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."- j/ c( l `! t9 l7 G: j
' J* L0 r( H9 `: F, I3 v4 SThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 k6 a3 j: W; c0 G* T
+ D& G/ F3 W, q" zBut 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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