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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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6 ^. M/ H4 Z% f& k7 [# T5 K2 Shttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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! {* F. \3 d z- YOTTAWA - 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.5 @( B) P3 l- B8 Q8 M/ o6 T7 R$ B$ ^ }
5 U, f9 o( H+ ~' `# |- F) `' }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.. f, ^6 X/ f! q1 o
5 [6 S# J4 k2 AWhy might it be a good time to sell?& y' {" J' j1 Y/ X6 e& I" V! M
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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0 @3 ] H5 }, l) v y/ h5 c1 g4 _"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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1 m5 [% U6 ~4 M/ o9 \3 Q9 l5 j"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.2 v8 k! x: I& d! B/ A8 k
! i5 C" G3 `, M3 d- B/ B- GThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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( C( d$ x* ]# S. R# S/ W) hOf 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., }8 k) v' H" u7 S
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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7 c7 F ^1 u# M( H$ e% m+ q"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.' H) {* [4 x- Q) J. j
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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.0 [1 G5 b5 _8 r k4 k( f
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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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# a# g ^" H% q" A- X5 X6 VAnd 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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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.9 X2 F8 p0 [( P* }/ ^
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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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" L7 [! E. c: }2 vThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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0 {3 e$ j3 f w) t" T0 d( ^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.) Y" b) r, V' g' J# d3 M
, Z6 e4 U0 u3 _ F: F"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.
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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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: c1 D* k2 p5 @8 x/ \4 OThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% ^+ R' u, z( K0 h
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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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