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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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6 Z Y% f: f& yhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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" y9 }9 _1 E5 v- F( Y4 jOTTAWA - 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.# @7 [# w7 I3 \) e& U
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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.8 s. s' J2 @4 ^1 p
/ @; S* _8 G7 lIn 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., @( ?7 Q: W! x% c8 y
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 R7 K8 c* M! @; ^
9 h) y$ N- Q5 D# O"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.% z+ U/ T% W0 k9 }- W7 T" B( |9 R
+ `* V: }# i8 }8 d% H( H"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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6 [0 ^4 q! v: z& Q( v% B$ {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.; X0 h. K' w* D) U8 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* b' Z- A+ P' f
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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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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.
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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.: l- M3 A4 C. B9 [
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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.' F l, |/ S4 A W
- @# k' v3 {- Y/ q: M# oIn 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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1 ?. G# ~* ^# o& v& R+ YMeanwhile, 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.9 x# g1 t8 R6 i1 N+ T/ V; l$ Q
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.& @+ a& j& i* l5 a% {$ u" p! Q
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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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"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. P2 R6 {( x3 X# s
1 X: M+ N# w7 `# f$ ZBut 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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