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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.3 a4 l+ e4 j* r" N4 W ^
# Q% v1 n9 [2 p+ s" m# A. Lhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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- R2 F1 f4 j$ n$ COTTAWA - 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.+ s1 f3 n- r, t. `1 L& G
v- b d, Z4 X, q0 z6 ~$ q# PPeople 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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/ r7 A7 @2 b' s8 P+ ZIn 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.2 j! i% g! H8 O+ o$ x
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Why might it be a good time to sell?" a! U! W% |5 R# n3 N6 x: K+ m( ]& g9 a/ y
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.* J x1 P+ u( a# l& O `
0 n; G$ k8 V9 r# t3 H9 X& v- e"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.6 P) _% e- a6 D- f0 s
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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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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.; w4 D5 _# N$ w1 z
# ]! L t( d0 yBurleton knows how they feel.
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: f0 H* h/ a" X) h; J7 D"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.1 ?/ p" v6 Q2 G" }- j! H2 ?- j
: _2 _3 H9 R8 ]1 eWhile 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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! a( [- L* @/ t. V/ m8 n" iWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.9 S% n! I0 G6 b4 V
- q# H9 H0 o) z4 ~0 P4 t/ pAnd 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.# Z- E# t0 i& g5 V
0 v4 e _. v: g. BIn 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.2 d9 T) _9 v. C1 T
: ^. ]# ~/ i2 b+ k7 y, \) }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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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# g, s4 S+ ^: D: ?: \& z) }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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) `2 e' N) Y2 i- M# G) L1 S' [; |"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.; H( w$ ^$ V2 [# ~$ s/ i% N
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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.". x1 H, {( d: }9 {2 G0 j
9 _: E7 X* V2 ^* Q$ K. fThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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" ~. k! I: T) |& ~% m. |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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