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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.! c) E' k# J$ Z$ [. V6 m
) s% k2 T0 e' k5 A0 vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html" o% J) C; r* m# s
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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.* e7 _& R4 E( S3 u4 N
1 _ o# ^) S2 {( QPeople 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.5 Y9 ^0 C- e. I5 P; m: _: A
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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./ [ y- H6 R& i: U0 V5 ^
$ X5 j/ \; `% s# ?Why might it be a good time to sell?
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% s; I0 x+ P9 ~: Z, rAt 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., v6 h% [* u& Q. A% h; q
s2 T+ p H8 q9 _# X V"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.
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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.4 R8 P3 E3 }9 ?# A8 Q
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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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9 i7 ~- ~0 g/ y% MBurleton knows how they feel.2 }/ V9 L" _# m# D- u
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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.2 ^* k# l/ L; ?
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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.
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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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: g" l: E* y1 y- T* o$ c7 H9 hIn 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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+ u. v- G3 t, A6 t' u+ a/ u9 uMeanwhile, 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.0 G. D% E% w7 o: |6 P
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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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0 V; \; y: D! K% X! iDavid 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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4 Q2 l- U- G% I9 E* b"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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"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."8 e+ Z; @/ f" M( z- v6 m2 |7 Y' h
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: x- u. h) O- X o: p! A
$ Z3 E6 H' r4 p) x# a( I4 f BBut 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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