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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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9 B9 E1 D' F; Q1 yhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html( m, @+ K1 U6 b8 g
* A. L" z- J* R; e# b! ~* j: H- T% eOTTAWA - 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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$ N- D2 k9 c* z# SPeople 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.7 `3 G$ Q# j+ J$ |8 \8 F, v
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Why might it be a good time to sell?- Q) r, a, ?- u
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.2 ^* E1 I+ M0 g' i$ I; b
& d+ K. O8 `) y* B. } @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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7 z2 V4 `( p$ P! sOf 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.
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4 n& y( t; L) z% p {# _" f$ C+ X"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. ]4 N1 f- W& w' d# Q9 e) b
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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.
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9 i- e6 V* `/ e, C( x: SWith 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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4 j: R3 E+ v" [: v! L' W$ x O8 OAnd 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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1 ]* x; ?' x5 F+ s" e5 U/ j; d! x* 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.. x2 x$ j/ g6 F/ 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.
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5 J. c" I* N# Z WThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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. K( |+ k( `- H2 B: d4 F& ]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.+ a# o5 `0 ?0 y/ ^; R
& a. h- y2 S D( d"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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/ z7 l n: S/ o) ~2 h0 B0 f8 VThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act. U7 d9 P$ y* s% s/ h
% H( |7 w6 Y6 | ^, O: n# E. WBut 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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