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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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- g3 ?# G) Z, M" a' `/ q: T Ihttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html# t( x: j9 s3 X
$ [ L7 T9 a8 R4 V" l! Y0 U6 NOTTAWA - 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.& n! T: E$ d, c* D
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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.0 ?6 v7 o* Z4 `6 T
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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9 t5 D% h& ~* j3 [At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* f: g5 k" }6 W8 i! j) w
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. q$ R- J+ u. _) c/ q
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! Y6 c; e- a3 ?" u; o
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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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Burleton knows how they feel.
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X$ j2 _& R, t: N$ ?' m"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.0 W! L" q; D" X- O
% x, q, R1 q6 t Y% U: Y( z/ ^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.
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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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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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7 k9 y( ~9 O& p3 x( d EIn 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. I3 p2 W. p& `4 S; {2 g. o; Q
, l" y9 o8 ~& o4 N4 E1 X- 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." k7 {+ y {! F: V; K/ T/ r# M6 G9 I
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.0 {% j# H' s: r; }; b
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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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"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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5 W5 J5 J4 l# ?8 ]$ E"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 b/ U# t" x7 n0 o6 a( Y/ x% WThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.; L/ ?( a; U3 X5 }6 Q K. W) t
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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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