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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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; m' Q# s- t; A- U* j( m* Qhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html4 n% u, L- V( s2 n$ r8 R
3 C# r$ _8 P$ o+ w7 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.: T- M# ~( |% ~0 l, \
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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.; P( n1 T% T5 _! F5 R2 f
. X, E) q, O1 @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.; w# K# }% ^3 B* F
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Why might it be a good time to sell?6 K* g2 n% p0 ]6 y# s5 ^
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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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+ d: _ }6 |- R; P B1 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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: J9 @+ h! g; _& A3 ]"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., b7 I* M2 {/ {; l& B: w
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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.. a7 I7 L; R4 a K" y3 t
/ K% K* {4 C/ @/ J. ]! LBurleton knows how they feel.
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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.+ ?0 n4 v1 V0 n
| `/ m! k4 u# A3 j' O- Z# lWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.# `3 z" V- V1 q6 k( Q) D# w& O
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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.* n' X) y% b/ _; g* s7 T8 p _6 E. R
( r% H# f6 Y; Q# CIn 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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6 E; B7 b) ^/ b: Y6 M; A3 EMeanwhile, 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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* Y( u. c h d4 Y' C+ N/ P' v$ fDavid 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.$ P6 Q6 H- N4 H" c
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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."3 J8 q( m& D* r1 x& F
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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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