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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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' f( p, O- k* }8 n ]% mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html5 L4 O0 [% m) e4 {
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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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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.% G( K, D% y8 }1 z
# [0 {3 R5 P- r9 zIn 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.0 R/ w0 w6 S# i6 D0 g6 E
3 J( K3 W1 s- O. L" a) [0 d' ~Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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4 ?2 C' d6 O% J8 I9 q$ 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.
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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.
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8 C/ u* h( j! i4 ?; uOf 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.: Z D) W) S6 i6 o. U8 V+ m
! c4 F" b6 E4 D1 O+ _* KBurleton knows how they feel.
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1 K: L7 [* g. L; }"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. t" \& l |- Q: @3 Q# P+ U; N& U
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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.! I7 D% h! C/ c8 D5 a. j
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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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3 d& R8 P4 t# L; [; z9 QIn 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.1 z1 ]$ y) W4 j/ p- |8 r/ A
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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.3 K) r9 O6 u9 G
; L3 A P( Z3 B* P. _" }( }That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ F: x: \0 ^2 g& f0 I. B
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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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, X# K+ \* I) V"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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) T+ [- ~5 K7 d X# g, r( pThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: L1 s5 r+ G5 _9 b8 T: c
; a- O# H/ H! {- I: j# A: N; 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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