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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ I$ y) x) T c9 d- D0 w. G+ `, @
+ P6 {" p8 h2 L' Z, U6 V) Ehttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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% N2 b1 k" W# ~. ~6 JOTTAWA - 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.' [- O8 x% R( P6 G. d; w
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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.
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0 O2 V6 d) P4 H0 T0 @+ JWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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, d c# I7 [8 L! _' fAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.2 {2 P* r8 U. \1 Q4 v0 x- W4 W
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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0 E0 M' }) r- j; w9 nOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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3 ^* q4 D, d, @% F2 k7 NBurleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.$ ~% h) p3 q7 _ L+ C/ P* j
, m- E8 A* @) O/ OWhile 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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" o2 C$ R, ? F0 X9 y& p& t2 H6 [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.: f6 T/ A {* q' F# N$ o: s
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In 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.3 I. q+ ? @3 C) R9 S* A) v* x
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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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$ `% d! X/ C6 _2 y5 `That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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5 [7 ^& P c# h8 h( a5 ?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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+ ~& n, M7 F$ }' N% 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.$ ^. z6 ]& A- v3 w
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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. W% w: e) E4 U3 R, s
1 ?1 {1 _! B; M d- t: sBut 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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