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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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5 I7 O3 S5 b! Thttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, M4 G7 u+ l+ h2 Q
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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.' T0 W/ f, C+ R/ G& K
1 b5 g0 U+ L5 h: d2 P+ 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.. a. u- c1 q" ~3 Z- ?& k! D; R9 A; G
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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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?' ]; {: P) L2 r! f
, Y. x" `! |2 S9 kAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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0 U" _' y, L% S" p; G9 B7 G9 u"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.2 w6 F& D5 s6 I+ I0 u
/ p/ x' I* O( o) y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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' g8 T2 z" D+ O9 ~& l( q& SThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower." O& J j% C5 \* t
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.4 {4 z) K! ^5 S( V
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Burleton knows how they feel.. `% ]- C! A/ F( F
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said., x" E& y- D$ A4 T; ^
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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./ D r% e. O* P+ p/ F. ~* g/ W
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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. O- t) x9 @, q% V1 L. d9 d: t
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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.0 N# ?; j; S1 S! u
- a3 M1 A# p9 d- ]9 KIn 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.# u x; D+ b+ t' x- q$ d
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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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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u7 M6 h/ O% ], _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.
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* D, y# J1 T% {) Q9 Q! M9 P# J; q& [- x"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.1 O8 X$ @8 h7 C
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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."* I# O4 k9 {( t6 b$ H( Q% o
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ |! V( h$ O v
4 k" n' Q1 b! l# W' ^, F6 mBut 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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