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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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# u* i9 {. ~; S+ M! N, dhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: i0 A& y" F8 n! R( g
( A: E5 e& y. ?' \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.0 O5 p& F; Q; z& p' T- A) S
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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.4 G5 @" L$ X; t1 T O
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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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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.- j j/ V7 R2 Y9 A
$ t5 n0 C' f1 [# ]" l) M"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.4 l! r9 N2 |, ^+ L( z# u- u
- z$ H5 r8 _ i; N8 g; A"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 Y- M# |2 S" [& W1 b, D, x' _
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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.- L8 w: ]+ A. ?' O& f+ {
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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.: h, R E# |! C5 H& j: D
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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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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.- \1 W$ ]: T2 ~6 U3 h9 |7 a
9 V% R2 T$ j8 V% 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.1 S$ V7 B) c& N# a+ M5 W2 W; B
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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.! K; i# I( B% k" R5 L
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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.( U8 l, f* ]+ j
$ C+ d& o: B. t# o7 X# B( t! Z/ W5 XMeanwhile, 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.# x B% D0 _ @7 J
7 c' D( w& L) s' pThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# D" n: Y9 {$ Q
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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.; D% a B- o. f3 A. {3 e6 I
2 D( e) R4 J, T# s- ?* \"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.: E& l/ @- H9 A* K
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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."$ H5 h* f5 V+ w$ X' C% ?
3 y8 Q, k `, T' l) [% QThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& k( [- u# S$ P
9 O* t- {! r& uBut 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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