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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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4 v o! v4 [4 e* F7 @- Dhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: S$ X6 F( P! `; a% ~, ^
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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.' W: x+ s; a u5 ?: U
" G0 {% A% t+ `( X6 DPeople 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.# D# a g8 z0 c/ _/ f5 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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0 H8 \; E) m) V* j" ^% R1 i8 E, F/ a' @Why might it be a good time to sell?, M, Q& X9 S0 _$ s# K7 N
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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: U. ~& z$ U- A: } o q, A! P"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.0 I/ j' K! C* K/ D4 [+ ? |0 z
3 f% I; P" D {7 B$ I' Z8 ?"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.6 P; {& K/ A. L6 g) F6 `
6 ~6 z5 s k7 ]% ?4 i2 [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.
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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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7 k, |9 v+ u6 Y: d/ O' j5 {+ LBurleton knows how they feel.
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+ O5 B* A$ y. G( i"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.$ u+ m8 v. W6 T v8 O; 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.) g- \$ t! e7 ? Z
* T# b! C3 I; m2 p7 VWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.2 g; i; B0 x! j4 F. _ R. S; e5 g; s
6 Z5 d# }; 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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6 Z' {% C8 D% ~4 h, SIn 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.: H Q$ \2 T* t* A
5 [1 G" j8 r" q6 XMeanwhile, 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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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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"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.8 J% \* ]2 g$ n" |/ J; _" f9 x3 K
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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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+ Q8 a9 ] R: W& E% SThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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