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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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7 B7 F: t( y/ R* \http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: P8 M1 o3 G5 L/ e
9 p3 B+ p* ^3 `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. x% k# d: ^/ d
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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.0 R- W/ R$ [7 s" Q1 G
/ M+ f( _1 `. GIn 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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4 D2 ?2 G9 u% K% iWhy might it be a good time to sell?0 ~1 d3 W$ N- O
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. g- o: L7 B% Q# X0 f8 V: }" \
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.4 ?$ E- e# g9 h0 c: h
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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.
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; z. Y) ~7 Y5 P! Z9 L9 P7 T$ qWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.6 r( P6 @. Y. F
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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; l S$ Z3 _; l1 o2 c
$ B+ h1 C& y/ ^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.8 m5 S Q* U& s( w' f" z& c* O
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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.8 ^, z# W! y0 A& P- l2 j9 U$ N
- X/ U' I) y# z+ F( z! Z" w 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.$ x* Y- J& ^) J5 V' J. A
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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.3 l. c& a. P9 ]8 F; L, _" e v
; H# k+ I& R- s"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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: C6 h& q/ D0 O/ M+ ]"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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* y3 p$ _) `' I2 O5 BBut 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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