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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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( S% K5 _' d+ ^, ^& chttp://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 g: T6 z- j+ E% H U" Z$ o$ [2 C% O
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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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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.6 z- D! a6 ]2 A, {
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Why might it be a good time to sell?! C3 `) x z. e; t
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; ? w9 _' c5 o" Q$ H2 d% E
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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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5 f% ]. ^$ Q+ g2 c$ T: l"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 a) W" w6 {. d2 h
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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.. ^ S, x- J$ ]. E& C+ |
! [$ E8 G) X; {$ u7 EOf 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. O) ^' S& g8 Z
V' [2 Y; M6 _3 ZBurleton knows how they feel.
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; t5 k/ i6 G9 w$ M5 y"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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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.( K8 y0 |! o x8 Q* o- {7 u! k* W, Y
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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. X# ]; G7 }3 e0 n
; r; d7 P0 k9 B! H0 ~In 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.0 U0 |! T4 `' J0 v1 k) a, v
1 _) e8 b$ P. W- J* Z3 B) pMeanwhile, 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.9 ^5 j9 [+ L) E8 v7 z* Z3 o
3 f! s8 o3 [+ A% v4 E# WDavid 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.; H; Y3 u9 }; t' X4 `& `
$ d' N* `1 U3 _ i/ P"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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! g; f, v' k* p4 i) i* O
# G I7 M, e+ o; a7 j2 {, s% yBut 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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