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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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7 Z, N0 u6 h0 V8 n. Y* q2 Xhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- }: F, G: W5 ?
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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.% w: {: Y0 H7 ?0 b) J9 u8 j* E& t
/ C/ t" [' ~0 v+ k) ?: sPeople 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.' ]8 @3 L4 [+ S. J5 y' F1 s3 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.
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# L! u, w6 p& c7 rWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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: m6 w1 b& W0 C5 UAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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7 g: D+ L* R7 D" J+ ^4 P6 N) J"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.; M4 K a+ o# V5 o$ }6 O* D4 e3 c
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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.* P2 U8 B7 r" `, i0 e- _
# D. e- m6 D9 H"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.: `0 _5 F1 R- p
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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.- w* H' R, I' q. f
1 N5 V! i [. _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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& [; T1 h( ?& x* f5 O2 W* nThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.! ^$ u2 N! a: S6 X4 i# o* r
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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.
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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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# o; {1 p% H7 K% a; H"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."1 u# I( P2 C; x. |
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 s9 \! N& v" H
2 ?8 f( C( I( X' v7 SBut 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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