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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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0 V! n5 E* w& L7 u/ G' C9 Qhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: y$ c4 k$ [. J# f- u
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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. Z& S3 Y j. q0 C
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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.$ j! \ M; m- P/ f" A6 Z
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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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% _' t8 N; V9 n7 v1 i* h4 i6 \Why might it be a good time to sell?( e8 g; {! u$ |
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets./ f' K3 k4 L& i7 r8 y5 M8 |
3 C( ~$ w8 f, g$ B5 f"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.
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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 d0 u1 g* j. _
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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.$ f; _! f# X3 X2 F, c' a: M2 p
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Burleton knows how they feel.4 s8 h* u6 ]# M( v; }" 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.3 K' D1 S9 u A6 v
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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.. ]4 k" X7 v- C2 B: Q; y- s
: M% F& H0 w6 c; K( [ m3 ZWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.8 F; ~9 Q& D9 g
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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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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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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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; J O6 ]0 h/ b( {That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying." F! z4 {8 [: H. ~( \0 L5 ?
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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.2 Z1 ?. L) B! L3 F
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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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9 q) \; O- U6 y0 G1 O2 p6 g. t"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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& t, o1 Q; D* E, T0 S; AThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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* L- j$ Z0 m. R% p- {& g, P. JBut 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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