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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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4 Y1 D8 f+ h8 {& u: Jhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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3 x! k9 M& s* Q0 u6 }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.9 R. P" {, @) g1 D& p
+ s5 Y7 S n" x T0 E2 _7 }% F! G) g+ }Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.5 h* C, O, P6 m. ?5 i* S
& | c9 l& S2 x2 O"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., \2 O+ l) o' }
8 y$ x* u( I4 [1 ]7 S1 XThe 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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( o: h& K) l, G( ?* 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.. b+ _& L2 V- Y( P+ _% p1 _) X+ ~
1 n( @5 s, } {6 ABurleton knows how they feel.$ }9 q R- h/ q% T) G+ L! c& O
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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., p- R- B2 |' F! ~ }- `5 L
# I0 _: ?2 Q$ W7 }' I! U% ?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.( {) w% B6 X! u7 Q# e9 Q1 r
0 d0 v& Q% q( W3 l) _) Q* s, }$ d+ ZAnd 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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/ }# g0 s; d- w( S* R: vIn 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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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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) |0 Z( Y7 m! I- y7 g) C/ g* z' PThat 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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$ z. L& U9 f, C"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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3 o& L0 y( o+ D/ E" L, R8 ?"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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- x+ \: I5 G d8 s0 r2 d3 A0 P AThe 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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