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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.0 D. ]7 F+ R: b9 ~
0 I; M' ?" @; J2 ?/ hhttp://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.
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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.. n' G0 x" ?) \5 G+ Y. A1 u$ @ Q. l
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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.0 p% v0 \7 X/ N7 \
7 Q2 ]# l/ r% h! a* a# e+ |Why might it be a good time to sell?
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, F5 m: j5 u6 R4 U$ W1 J) {+ H+ d. n4 gAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.! {7 T! F C7 _
+ P9 A5 r R: }8 M& ~1 J"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 R) l# Z1 ~) A/ d( X K; ^
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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1 m% @6 ^* E7 q. A* o+ W; gOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel." W& O5 g& n P
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.8 H1 I, N6 L+ |! U% J& x/ S
- x' G O6 Y' p7 r! i$ N3 yWhile 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.. Y6 B! k( {6 e( I
! \0 N0 `3 j B; y1 ^# d# yAnd 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.9 i# N9 @, j3 v( X2 f' \/ s5 _
% A! ]& ^0 g! }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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying. v! }5 S" v9 z
+ i5 t) f: ~4 {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.& X0 D6 b8 c" H/ Z! S0 E( 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.* v& s5 t' }, |1 Q* O9 i
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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."7 p2 j2 E9 u6 {! [9 @
4 \8 a2 C4 p0 w6 ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.2 ]0 x6 r9 {7 Y& t2 M
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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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