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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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) D6 U) h$ X' g5 hhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html; e- |& j5 N9 F$ h+ Z
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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.' e) N7 k3 w* h& E' q
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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.+ o r$ |( N r" f4 {0 _
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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?+ h6 D& y1 ^ s7 D) `, d) b. E- g; I
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.& ]( w1 e9 i! n' H
8 E; V5 X4 B; T% U" q, ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.% e5 Z2 Q) \; T) W" M
0 l- G& ?% I. @" w5 ? t$ Q& {. \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.& [: u n! m2 G) m0 i8 I# v8 E
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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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Burleton knows how they feel.7 {" K5 R) t4 b6 i5 E$ h! V
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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.* X. d& H$ m% |- ^* |1 _3 N6 t# O
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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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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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9 e; I- h& l5 F1 Z& J hThat 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.' |( B( H1 d: t! h. @3 I
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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.$ W( p' X" `" S; K% Z5 `
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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."2 W' d0 a' o7 V9 m
8 y7 s" q; J* N$ V( J4 mThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% o% Y& i- }, T( Y _
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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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