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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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! r H, d, [; z7 f8 Mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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- z- F* D& b3 e1 @( s8 QOTTAWA - 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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6 ]6 G; G: r$ m6 P0 T1 [0 t: u9 ?6 VPeople 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.1 v% Y6 ]; }9 ~" z0 u
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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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: Z/ a- n6 K% ?2 [8 |At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.) e$ [1 O+ P6 i
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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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8 S7 g/ P( t; ?& b0 }. NThe 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.8 v: O- ?- ?+ r/ _+ ]
8 T7 {4 {" \+ J" g) n# Q/ dOf 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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7 u& ]) x# y( E) L" [# {! [Burleton knows how they feel.: h! M; Z8 J; C: q$ M
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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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2 v7 d- @: {# d% Y& T; }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.; T+ [) e: e) l3 V1 q4 ~3 |$ o
9 H% f, o/ P. xAnd 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.5 V( v7 q' b* \: z4 y! U) W
3 s$ a, x) m; j- OIn 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.- g! J; U' c$ J: i
1 m9 M1 t& s* i: O# Q+ N3 g( PMeanwhile, 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.7 f$ G& O6 R/ P& y. m, u8 g7 J0 T
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; ~) e- }+ E+ r( i
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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.
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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.) N; b/ Y" b4 O& o7 z+ M( B
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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."' L9 u- t+ o- H3 |2 P2 `, A. {3 M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ E4 l7 i+ G0 C
# u: ^# H9 w7 Z& n& CBut 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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