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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.' \; H4 d: o0 l4 ~# `2 |$ c
' r/ ? y0 [2 c" q) Thttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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 [9 Q3 H/ q x7 b* k( K$ S) _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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# }6 p( P/ p8 F, k' U" ?+ }; }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.5 s9 {% i a# k& O: h
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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& |8 [* c: D, R* W0 ?2 o# i/ \9 n o3 m"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.; N% Y% v. I3 c A9 m A' z" {
4 Q8 Z: B' ?9 ?2 K7 I5 A$ M"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.4 y- h8 d' e3 o
, u- ]7 O# e/ I. K* h) W9 rOf 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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Burleton knows how they feel.2 v1 m% [( H ~3 r
* Y( c! ~. n, ]- @3 I& L9 w# `"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. g8 K/ u/ f) W5 \$ x. l! o
3 L: I/ o6 o; r2 J2 F& JWhile 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.
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" c6 q( P% l$ U0 N) h7 W9 Z: wAnd 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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+ c/ P# } ~" Y. [5 o+ y) ~+ dIn 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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e; T) m3 I; F A& ~6 q0 j# WMeanwhile, 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./ n3 t+ ~3 j0 E- _( X9 c
7 [- ]' h& D5 C4 Q# U) \That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.6 `! t" E+ U4 B+ o7 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.+ X. A, q5 Y1 o: f. Y$ w& G6 A0 U
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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., L% v9 X7 q6 B. d# F! q2 b1 H2 q* o
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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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% L' F P, h, ]2 Y9 IThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.8 ]( }+ V! B! [8 ~
4 G* a( ]* Z( b5 eBut 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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