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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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, ]. ?& w/ P1 ?! v5 Q9 `$ ~) jhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html }' ~( _1 ]+ H! q; w8 n
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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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7 J2 e7 \5 M3 v2 P7 L; h3 K. Z ^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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8 {, ]" n0 [7 h. _9 }* e, SIn 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.' b% U% G! R) J+ I9 L
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Why might it be a good time to sell?! Y& l/ Q& q" `5 P* ^
1 n( o1 Y% R3 E/ Q4 S W: fAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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& c0 R( A; x$ ^8 m$ |2 i+ B! MThe 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.3 c5 \, C7 ?2 Z- m
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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.5 y* _, j4 b3 j& u& l
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Burleton knows how they feel.4 Q& d# s, r2 _! _9 p
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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.) @) D8 Y1 e% b `7 }% 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.# s, g2 O) y5 ?! x( j, p7 Z
/ B; w6 `( N) V& T( M' F7 zWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years." D% W" w) c e( v$ R! u
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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.
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7 B" }& R) B: }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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( A% u1 T! E5 Z \. eThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# [: N9 o" \7 \
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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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s% z7 o9 n3 w5 @! o/ Q"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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% F/ h3 ]- I F ?4 M3 _; [# \The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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