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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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5 J2 c r- G) n/ x- H0 Fhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html0 {3 e) x! B0 q1 d8 Q) h' i" h! R
+ P5 T4 m% J2 a: z# D$ sOTTAWA - 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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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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& P9 P2 k( W% Z" x+ qIn 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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& f& ], E8 i+ f* q4 g" \Why might it be a good time to sell?
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# @9 F9 k; |+ s) kAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; L6 M: M: e6 ^8 R* Z" e
/ Z/ L* k* \8 h5 r4 X"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- L, O# K$ E& X+ V* [9 y, R
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( z& R$ W5 Z' ~; r! K
- I+ v2 r; m* IThe 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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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./ P6 _* Q& @% q; K% Y; Q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.
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* g4 u- Q& b, S& pWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way. Z D5 o, _: Y
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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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) Z7 s+ ^* {3 ^; n& |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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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.5 l" v1 }& U1 E% S5 V4 f
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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.: g- N0 Y. C' r2 {# m
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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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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.7 }- N& L, p, ]+ @. Z! G( b7 {
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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.: w# |! `* V# t4 y
# I7 ^- {( W! D0 I: s3 T"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."7 W; |- e$ o; D0 L
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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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4 l- a: M4 r' ~: H8 oBut 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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