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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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2 k$ G5 z: w2 Ihttp://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.3 H, r# j$ y2 g: y- n' X
3 L3 ?: H9 ?, O7 CPeople 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.0 @0 m9 c# d) v- E; s4 I, k
/ s( o$ t' z# D' V' z; yIn 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?' I* q6 P0 m3 j6 v$ h
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 c2 X, @, q! q. E# }3 j/ j
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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; V& R7 p$ e3 V/ Z"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.
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: m+ G- i: \# f5 ~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.4 Z, J; [8 K) g- p
& V6 x! v" [1 A1 [. _"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.9 t: ^) {" Y ~
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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.) I4 J+ |5 G( U9 E5 d G
' N w6 A7 t$ v- t" ?/ \6 k: A( d; }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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! o( u& H2 { 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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& i6 p8 n y: e6 x) X+ jIn 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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9 p5 w* v' _7 YMeanwhile, 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.2 I. a u4 }! [
4 N& ~1 \# {+ m; p, x2 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.
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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./ {6 \. d" C% z
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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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! u& t& J% _5 X; y, 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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