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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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) H, G |% C2 a; k. Bhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html, b0 D9 \1 k+ I$ `: u _
* W$ o) w, f+ [( ~7 `3 A6 UOTTAWA - 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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# N8 d/ o S0 j& @, C+ @6 l; RPeople 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.
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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.5 c( T1 Q* y5 ~3 Z5 N/ [
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Why might it be a good time to sell?7 F2 K. |" B6 \. U
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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.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.# _3 c& E" R7 G
+ e7 N r& s* q* y* r- w" OThe 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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' r5 A( \. l/ W& }0 \2 k3 lOf 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 O g! y5 p8 z/ \# s9 W4 ]
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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./ Q7 m: J7 B. A: u
; d- ^' O# ^/ i; M9 z8 bWith 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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( p9 e& a V3 d# |; P3 L4 E" 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.
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$ a. B l% y2 ` FIn 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.# ?" M* `; N* D" ]8 N
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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., \; Q4 ?& G/ s
; {6 U- A! E' W3 O3 V. yThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- l, f) z& w7 F! @$ g/ `% ^4 d
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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.' M" ~8 c# w, @2 q! u
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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.
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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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