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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.6 ~$ r l1 O; R' A) g; q$ Y
& d: H' n4 q5 K! K& }. Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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& ]" D9 ^" z% x- C4 aOTTAWA - 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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4 N" g/ I8 g' f6 S7 L5 Y. oIn 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?0 i% {# q( q- x0 a
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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5 v; H5 g9 d" F4 o5 f8 x"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.2 G e* k+ T8 \* ], \7 T0 E
8 }2 b+ o& p' H8 v6 g; D. _"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.% }! d" U2 M1 @2 [# o7 |8 k, T
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.( [6 K. M& m) T- S. A
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Burleton knows how they feel. u$ S8 e0 ]. K1 `1 F+ V' Y
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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.. T- o( A' Q3 k: Z& B# e* e
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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.8 A% t6 m0 w) j$ B8 N% z$ u& E5 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./ Q" B; w) v, x7 M3 A* E
4 @' p9 ^$ E3 ^, P* p+ fAnd 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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4 `8 e, M# q4 j$ R/ `# x8 g( ^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.
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$ Y1 }+ C& b$ \9 `: u) a; kMeanwhile, 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.6 X6 M" Y; }" m& d9 G4 u% S
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; F6 N' x# N" G- G+ n
! P7 ~& |0 G( d: PDavid 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.! Z' q I, n/ J' u! X$ o1 P! c) l
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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.
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5 O' X" N6 _0 d' E* r"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."; z( H6 R0 e+ P, y/ p
7 s/ P& J, \& u' |) uThe 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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