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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖. E7 l5 F8 a B7 w
3 ~) V# c. r6 t+ Z. h7 I0 i; j7 F# H& Fhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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" `5 w; x9 w8 x$ O% e& ]$ T9 IOTTAWA - 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.9 i/ |# p7 H3 U0 U6 |
% {% H+ Q( ^% L6 y& t, G, HPeople 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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$ o: t: C- u# @+ ? g/ R/ K# S" xWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.: L" Z" Z( i, E2 B1 J- Y" y
3 c8 k$ s: W8 C* V) G, X"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.& d2 y6 x$ ]: c8 D, I
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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. e7 Z8 f5 Y: \9 k3 k9 @# J' J
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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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2 f6 @" `, h" d( t! X9 R3 jBurleton 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.
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, T" o) }% c# _( `( iWhile 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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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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$ F% G1 o+ I$ R7 kAnd 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.+ j6 i2 k* A; K9 ?" W8 {
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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.
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/ j5 D3 s5 A2 g& t4 VMeanwhile, 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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' j' J4 E% c+ G' BThat 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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6 `, C! F9 t9 u* N"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.3 v% g6 X3 o* ^/ o$ x# K* y" r
% |9 ^; ~& G4 }/ f"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.
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* p, c& k5 H& {% j |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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