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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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1 D5 q. v; G) A# Rhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 b9 d- X; A# Y$ S: u
2 E+ V3 ~. N# n" jOTTAWA - 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.5 H/ a7 `) U, g3 D: e5 Y/ M$ s2 y
# a; i( y: N& c: JPeople 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.' f7 l6 s( _5 B3 i' [
# e, r& }8 W( r1 ^! }/ tWhy might it be a good time to sell?8 l$ X# J' j4 x$ A
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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.+ C% p# U8 Z, Q5 ]8 ?# I8 @6 J
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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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- |. ]+ V2 ^/ K. z"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./ S; f: z5 ?, j5 g) _* n
7 G2 }/ V ^8 ~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.* e8 O7 W0 \) R l9 p6 K
2 {. u3 B; s, A1 wBurleton knows how they feel. D$ g9 Y4 k2 U! P$ @4 r
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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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I6 }( a, Q2 b6 O. g4 `8 J5 zWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.3 G7 ]% y! Q) P$ Y j [6 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.2 l6 c9 R0 r! P- g5 e5 {
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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.. ~, T& S4 S/ l3 G0 A) l4 H
9 p, S k; `- w& tIn 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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- R* ?- N- u" j( p8 {) 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.8 F C! m" y. w
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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M) B- p; v; t ]" k6 J+ ~5 d% ?1 fDavid 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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+ I" k) C I% w3 d- p"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& |6 Y, y0 D3 W: j5 {3 N
% |; A) ?: ?/ B3 {: z; B% @( CBut 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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