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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.$ B9 n7 \0 _3 p! W
1 a, l+ {8 c- e# Y* x/ g: chttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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6 Q0 u) R3 z: M9 dOTTAWA - 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.5 I- E0 k/ e0 I: N3 ]: v' T# x8 {9 \( q
5 }# ?' A2 u0 c: F! ^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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Why might it be a good time to sell?1 m2 j+ v/ G% h o+ ^0 l1 e
( ]. O$ n0 R9 \$ v9 r) v mAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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8 z; j4 K8 r2 m( M B- ["Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop." |) \3 S" X+ e! n3 P- C- m
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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( h8 i/ P: y+ y+ }! G! v* WOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.$ f, n6 O& J7 E. U, o0 `- a7 l
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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.( H- Y; g: K; G5 X
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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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/ [- t+ ~- ?% G, I/ ?4 fAnd 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.. |$ N" l; B8 C2 F! V2 m
+ t; v* S5 T" \/ J3 o' p! M* sIn 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.$ i+ p1 j6 W& Y9 J5 g
y, y' s0 e( x: k8 tMeanwhile, 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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$ ^: h& h: j8 S" N# M, FThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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" t( o8 \2 A ^! u% xDavid 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( R& m! J$ u/ b+ U! V"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.4 V& O) D* p& X& i8 W- C
4 y, X. B1 q% I3 z" D; F& G+ Y"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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+ J( [1 ?: O L6 g2 Y1 ]! Q) AThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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* X2 a) {/ y5 U0 |. f9 d/ ]& IBut 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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