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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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; Z4 \% Z$ F+ q3 b) Q2 U; mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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. I) F, l7 l/ F# {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.5 f4 o5 i+ Y+ m$ u5 S, K
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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.
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9 {+ F7 u D0 zWhy might it be a good time to sell?. I7 k. C6 v/ L% j T) }9 \
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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! E6 ^! B" G2 _. z7 E"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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) ^7 n& O* e w"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.5 Y7 w3 ~- {$ H3 n
4 [! Y& ~7 w! P& j5 u6 DOf 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.% H1 p3 P6 T/ r7 ~/ I8 R
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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% b& W8 E2 t A4 T. h- k% X2 }"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.) i0 H- C9 d$ d0 S/ {$ h4 Q
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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.4 B6 A+ M7 ]2 d) d& k$ v
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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.
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$ ?- D+ I$ W6 X; PIn 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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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.' p; Z) \4 D) L; U; z- F& Z; r
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.0 j$ Q' j. z; H0 j8 C& W
4 Y0 z, _& V6 ^! x% I( 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./ [7 w( v% T; [
2 N% R6 d: j x- h. V* g) }"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.3 _! C3 p% I# m, Q7 U" ]
3 E6 D' ]" s5 u, J( `0 ^& {"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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% F; J! Y- n' l4 H: ?The 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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