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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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# n# n2 w" ]5 I9 Nhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.2 q1 X {+ L2 P; E, j9 A; X. B
: H; Q/ @) E' Y# I9 Q! NPeople 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.3 m: D7 \4 Y* Q2 }. A* _' }# c/ E
1 u0 F7 u9 H+ m1 g" ~# [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.& I, g2 ]1 n" E+ \$ G+ G8 D
6 T- @4 @$ d) v, d1 ~) OWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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( j; N- S3 N7 Y4 t# J5 Y"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. |3 G* w% H! ] I5 t8 P" d$ U6 _
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. b6 L9 e, M) q* w4 p
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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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% T+ n1 l4 S; ^+ ?: [* _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.* w2 T1 T1 i+ y$ p6 n2 ]9 q
5 i6 L& S$ A6 ~8 q1 Z% TBurleton knows how they feel.
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* e' J" l! f# A0 s& n J1 ~# |& o& V) I"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.# P4 T5 W" W+ _0 E$ O
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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.' Y5 a2 H- ^" M& p. w) C
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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.
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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. S, C! n8 j8 I' @ i
- C! r9 d' Z( Z; `8 W6 Z4 ]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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+ k4 a0 T, t; DThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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: [! M* [) H! A" a2 h& _2 H) K$ M- BDavid 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# I- l7 C# s/ G+ a
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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."' ]( e w+ ]- s/ _: h7 H9 f2 f- I+ _! \
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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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% l" A5 v) l5 v$ mBut 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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