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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ F9 ]) ?& ^! ]0 t- N2 S+ f9 P$ j
6 N' M5 m C% x+ Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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B# @9 R% z, V% p4 C6 u! k/ EOTTAWA - 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.: J" m1 g. l6 _% g- M8 u+ z9 @
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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.) v- ~0 O/ B( [, p
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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.0 s( D2 R$ |5 I& b% u; g
9 |5 q9 G* E! Y( M2 b+ g0 Y0 O0 vWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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) _( G1 T- y6 @6 |8 l% CAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.! B; K1 E1 t% a1 |2 d5 I4 [
. d' H3 Z# X d3 f% \, T"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 k7 P; E( A) h, H& Y& v
) O0 z9 Z( f3 ~: I, _The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.: _- v( n2 x# \" ^3 g
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.! u# M0 a( }1 t' p7 o4 c
& N) F M# G i" z: ]. |, p1 c$ c"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./ [1 h( r: K E. X1 v7 `
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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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k6 C1 q. _$ ~7 [) g7 \( }, sWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.6 I. s! b; R a. @9 k% K, l+ w5 f
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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.
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9 Z" @" a/ l+ D: \9 f2 @0 W7 TIn 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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( s# o+ V( m# G: A' `/ e$ oDavid 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.8 K5 W( w* ^0 u; O8 E w
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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.* V% y9 x4 P ~: k
* A, `! d1 [6 A" g9 F1 `* N1 W; R$ K"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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- N$ a" F( N9 rThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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" I$ O3 A& b! J _. g" }- 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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