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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. b- r3 c8 }( `8 Z2 [. C' n& |6 x
0 d" Q2 t0 H0 U3 fhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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V/ r; D# A3 V/ m4 I% n' J: 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.
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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 }4 {$ w$ z `6 J
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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.4 [0 l4 x5 G) S3 X8 }$ b; m' e3 c
5 k, G* O7 d) F2 hWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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/ E- v& q6 O8 O3 l# s5 |$ K N! ^"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.; `5 a( X! u0 o1 l( ^& t2 b
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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.' _" z" b) `4 u2 [' K* ]; b9 g
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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.
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$ D4 m: q& d8 \1 O6 T2 WBurleton knows how they feel.' ]3 j1 W' o: m- v: q+ I; O. z
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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.
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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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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.9 x! f! W$ j% \4 X9 @9 C. B
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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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/ n3 p9 O$ q$ L0 l, oMeanwhile, 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.# r$ W1 u0 @2 O0 q4 a
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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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+ c. I# x7 D0 C' T n9 gDavid 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.- s! f/ q2 }, b% Q% J9 n/ [ p+ |
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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.% e7 o( W$ U) R. i& U0 k. b" ^7 y0 [7 |
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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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) }2 Q' x2 T3 e) ], O8 `! KThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.* S4 u' o6 Y4 e# V" x- d2 _6 G
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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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