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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.3 M" {9 n ^6 P# A0 U1 B
, r1 y2 O! `: H( @$ w- r) k( k. Dhttp://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.5 L. a9 R( ~2 V1 L, D$ N) g0 N
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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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4 I7 d! J( [) J; u6 L" uIn 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.# V; \! {1 X( l) q. U. ^0 T! d
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Why might it be a good time to sell?+ q* C w& Y1 `, g m' p- n
' j# T) W6 E1 \At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.9 ], G/ ?5 n4 ?4 M* n. X2 X" M7 b
3 a8 D0 F: b: X6 S, {3 U"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.3 ~0 w. ]% ~8 L* D0 C: N
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., i. W3 B* Y3 c- F* w
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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* G0 f ?5 b8 [2 h& qOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.# a! W( t6 d. i! R
1 z7 g, w5 ^+ h/ t. OBurleton knows how they feel.
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
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7 U8 _9 I( j, \3 t5 U! eWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.3 U* `' e6 v- b; a' H
+ M2 y% W. M( f$ y. YWith 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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6 W" m; k7 z e$ Z' f8 N7 AAnd 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.9 U" u+ M9 \/ H& b6 e7 p+ l; j# g
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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.' ]) J" v0 k( K
$ ?! s' w! w! x. }) E/ ~: N- Z3 WMeanwhile, 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.+ m9 [) t0 j# o; H- X3 e$ N
. y4 ?; M8 v; G' v! k4 @7 ^That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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2 c* R q( G& N k( bDavid 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.# @" \/ ?" M, g4 W
3 u8 f% j4 `5 [+ z; Q6 B5 q"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.
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4 d* g. S$ ^+ v"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."8 D$ f& h, Q( [$ m
7 ]& M2 R [# h5 pThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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0 A) l W5 G1 Q& q3 NBut 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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