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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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0 \* v9 Q% U5 n; T* Yhttp://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.
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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.
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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.- u1 z/ z! ~8 Y7 |/ R
! n) e/ R9 c! \: w* X: |Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.! J3 O8 k3 F* \9 d, [" ?( b
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.7 N) D* F+ s; W' F7 I7 j8 o' Q$ p
2 o3 Q& r F$ ]; Q"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.1 S- {6 m7 Y" Q" I8 P/ J% [+ N2 K
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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.* ^3 ^4 i8 d) h9 Z4 v7 A
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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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% W. q! ]- y* |/ f4 X, DBurleton knows how they feel.
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# }2 E4 U- a/ ]" t z/ a! M3 z8 l"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.& t! [/ X: Z* e3 h/ {
" K3 f. C, u8 S9 b8 W) gWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years./ e/ ?$ @- ^2 l$ k
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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 ~# M R7 s8 o4 L' i+ LIn 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.( m8 k- N# }/ F3 V& ?
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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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+ q" z5 Q, p1 H! Z4 LThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.
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& D$ V! Z! q* U; {* d( M/ ["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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; S. Q+ ]5 C. R& }, f; S) L* ^9 `The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.5 M+ Y* G2 B. [1 ]4 {
# b. i. D' t$ Y: {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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