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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# e8 l$ L9 x( f# H" ^ Z3 z7 H
' a0 x5 t4 i3 }# Ahttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html1 x" ^ T' N: G6 |/ 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.
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; v( e8 _/ x7 q. B8 H5 B( G) `" U, J! \9 ?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.$ {3 S5 y0 T8 Q7 F4 v' _ ^. A
5 ]7 [# u/ h2 D0 i9 C: A3 M$ @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.4 i/ Z- ?# d5 q, I/ j
0 p9 m% h. S7 d! p9 v7 c7 ^( M0 S( SWhy 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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"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. f' g6 {+ x: \( K+ x
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., \) N+ n9 o6 } n" c* `) G# E& `
* ~7 r7 _+ H% P; ~, W. nThe 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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' V# E. E6 Y. }' o' E2 y* {5 F: iOf 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.
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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.' L6 [9 \8 p* Q
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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." c" z4 ^* t1 T- l, V
! n V* a' ]! P. b, A" m: bIn 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 H* N6 z% q% y* x) bMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying., N; S1 i# K9 x# V
) e4 k n, t6 tDavid 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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0 E. s2 _6 n- i1 }"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."/ ?, B) ?' N4 B
7 M$ z4 n" r. A O/ C- T U7 F/ BThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! r/ U" d* ~' k9 ^ ?& k. c
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But 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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