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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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0 i6 h% m2 c+ P$ Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html) A3 D8 v, q( {7 I5 V {! y
. T: F3 Y4 @; T+ L5 s5 w uOTTAWA - 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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3 V1 b8 \ I2 oPeople 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.( z5 }" N6 P' G, B& O. i3 c( Q
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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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, O8 C( _+ O9 y5 o9 r6 ?* V# oWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.% i2 i. C9 J7 I0 Y
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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7 s$ E6 d" k' U, D: c8 \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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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.( T: z$ H7 N5 ~) d' v: {' n
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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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/ g3 k4 Y# i) S. e' hWhile 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% ?8 n1 `! J5 o
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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.
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$ Z3 c0 l& o* {* b8 w& {" ~) E5 EAnd 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." k$ M A% f' [" F3 k" `& E
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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.
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, E. y& F6 G3 o; Q0 B) b% IThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.. r% Q! i9 q* S! d- K
1 W$ g: O, R0 s! v: Q! J+ w"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.4 _( @ { z8 t; W1 [9 v
7 q3 j7 T& J/ R# V"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.; z2 R1 X- n+ j3 p2 o
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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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