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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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4 o$ C5 [$ J, v# {; [0 Chttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html& [" V6 q3 T; g0 E+ N9 W
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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.- X0 Z7 F% W6 V Y2 d& G
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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.9 D' I# A) S6 ?6 \$ `; L
0 j1 N2 {& P, f& z% yIn 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? a5 z) b+ T& a5 X; M. e
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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.3 y8 {8 S& S0 c. X& u! ~
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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.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.' g7 Q2 ^8 C& }
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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.( `- }; r0 W: Y- E( F; @
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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.( W' p) x5 n- Z+ Y
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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6 J6 f. K q4 k( @"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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* f/ M5 e" b0 p& O4 NWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.9 d+ ?. X, f- A8 b6 g6 G) w* l
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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.1 g) l0 `- J! y( x0 I
3 K4 Z+ a' G- o2 }) H7 PAnd 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.
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3 W3 Q: ~0 O2 k+ A8 p" A7 G6 RMeanwhile, 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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7 B0 m; l% `, ]- x( QThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ A7 y) l. c3 k$ K( K
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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. q& ~) C( k/ I$ I6 s
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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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, T) d* [; i. `' F( ^) S"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."9 D: {5 K I. a, A6 N& s
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ Z' Z/ a2 W( g% X/ l8 V
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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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