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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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( S/ i9 F5 ~% w0 R. Q/ Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html: W/ i. C: Z( R1 Q
3 ?( X N( N, \+ H# H. I& mOTTAWA - 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.$ U; V2 L5 @6 b) J
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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.
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- S8 {9 h( D* }Why might it be a good time to sell?" h; a! u1 e2 R8 Y
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 J' Z3 H, B* c3 {0 i$ ]0 I- L
7 N8 G9 L0 s5 z$ r4 i" l"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., _0 u( N1 X& B2 |
; ~" c" Z+ M" I: ^7 ?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 N( Q+ @: y/ Y" v0 P; p
- `. O+ |6 B: ?9 N, s: eOf 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.' ]- x; Q. ?0 x5 F8 s# ^
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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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; J( N5 Q! Q6 W1 pWhile 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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- ~+ @! h2 d9 d! w& {7 aWith 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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8 H5 W/ M/ U8 b& _8 ~: l& {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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& _' u5 [! g! w+ e. h5 TIn 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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/ n' m, X; ~0 q" v5 |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.* v* N9 _: E' E& }$ Y; I6 n
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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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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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"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 N) p; w- e% D' ]0 H
$ U! \. y: d+ e# I' OBut 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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