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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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& Y4 v+ w8 u% R& F e* k: B# hhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.; \4 J" w! T: [8 F
. F7 t: O1 Q* O% v Z; z2 ^) ^! I. EPeople 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.! ?* b# N8 V. @2 T6 x. Z
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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.+ X3 q/ @' y) M
7 p, K- @$ O- H, ]Why might it be a good time to sell?: _8 I a" m6 [( G" |) S
4 E8 q, q( f2 S7 HAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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0 ~% k) S0 |4 m- L2 L"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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) v( @' o) [: ^. C# B+ y- I4 f. j"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.2 Y% ~8 s$ b0 a7 E/ O. l( b
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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 d) D
; ^$ F9 `$ i# B9 @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.7 v8 p% u, T1 \6 Q; v2 O9 c
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Burleton knows how they feel.' A$ t. ?6 m$ y8 }& |3 }' Q" |
0 K+ C, o/ a2 i2 r1 f"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.& S' J5 [7 r' A" O$ R, z
9 k2 k8 h3 F5 Y/ bWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way., |0 u+ i% S; k1 q/ y
3 H! _( m/ X( ]" mWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years." ^, s7 ?6 G; P# l/ A! ]
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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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5 O1 B8 M; g4 u5 x; {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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l! ?& C& X5 Y9 n. `5 f& _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.: K% f c3 T: g
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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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* o9 v8 E& f0 kDavid 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.8 f( j+ C* }7 I$ F) F0 r
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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.6 _7 `3 D( j6 b- F- U" Z; S
1 s- l& _9 ~3 i- t) D) n) O |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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