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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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8 b* L% k* G4 E7 B4 uhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html! \) _2 i) C1 Z! F( W
' u5 d! z0 N+ L: k( c7 rOTTAWA - 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.
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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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" N: s% f3 Q; uWhy might it be a good time to sell?( H4 K/ s2 \! a; E/ }
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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.( U; e! P3 A w s. h8 ?4 H
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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.5 P* ~8 ?: |1 p. x# F& w( {
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.; W0 l, I4 y u5 C; B, \; D! E
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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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" o6 S+ g7 d0 pOf 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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7 U2 @& M% }! |" \$ I/ p9 b9 i8 ~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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; U/ b1 b5 K* |! N6 K8 x: R2 Q1 A) \% eWhile 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.- o7 u/ i0 K8 V9 H0 _4 \
( p, u V: ]/ f9 M0 C* L P# fAnd 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.- M5 M5 Y: X" |
+ g. I5 v8 L0 T) @' B& g8 T7 zIn 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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. R4 E/ w% _7 W; k, @# JMeanwhile, 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.: j4 H9 }9 i! N1 c3 \$ C* W9 [- t
9 M' S: e2 W; q% A) d& lThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 a2 q# e/ ^. I- i" _$ w
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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.& O3 D; _0 F9 b" O- x
5 z" O M$ t T9 u" B" T6 t8 Z"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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& w' }5 K }" u7 m6 H3 v1 N"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.4 o/ z1 c) \# u) V
- G E$ e, ]1 ^- D3 `- 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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