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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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0 p/ o, V! h8 p# c/ a) A9 W- vhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 T. \( L: Z6 S( Z1 d6 L
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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 y n4 h/ T8 V; N6 q! A& b
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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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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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: w _& @0 n% f: n6 C# yWhy might it be a good time to sell?/ T# e( [6 ]2 |' h; d, q5 ^8 w' V% v. n
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.! p( {+ \- t+ D5 _( y
% R- i, d( b+ c4 `* K! C"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.2 W* }( q5 k/ _, ~- z" L( W
! F" L r. y. r$ D. @1 W3 I' x"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.2 _8 W- S$ F7 s: @, c
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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.
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, V. r5 o5 p0 I" O3 b. M$ H% Z; mBurleton knows how they feel.6 [3 g0 F% H! O
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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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; q+ j, R& i' j1 YWhile 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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; x4 G4 g6 E# H7 H; EWith 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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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.1 p1 Q* X: r3 A/ t: f
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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.% k% T% q) G: u9 A/ ^8 m$ b* [/ x
; s+ c0 b# r' R# c) SMeanwhile, 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.; l/ {% H( I: b- }% X% j# w% g6 s
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.. U" z% X6 v% k
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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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4 x- y+ W+ ?( Z7 ?"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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"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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1 Y- J: V( O" E5 g7 @The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 V! j1 W2 u; E0 \* ^
$ h; T: d9 \# J. `4 Y) t* O- hBut 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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