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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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. ~; L9 ~" s* V: g) s0 q# x# Jhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html) i/ m/ B) v1 \
: a. Z+ n7 b. R9 F% I5 U0 `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.
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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?# N0 l [2 C# H, r9 }
% o# [1 `( P- L0 t3 {* nAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.9 v1 e' ]# D p, p
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.: f, q u+ l0 l
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.( y: O6 Q" m9 j& B+ D$ l0 X7 N
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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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& D6 N+ f" Y- n7 w1 D4 G- n3 Z. yBurleton 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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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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0 u# p' W* H7 r; Z, J9 qWith 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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2 R1 `- c1 j$ u& Q% _% SAnd 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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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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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.' F; i2 E I6 M% {% G2 |5 r
0 `; u) ?- L; I, q: @That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying. F- r+ g. n' w9 A$ U* H
" _; M6 Q( M- ?) R x' L4 s' \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.6 X$ s% r7 T6 ?7 p: t% j7 K( G
% ^1 }7 {' Z3 K4 i$ l9 w8 }"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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+ W0 e. A0 B0 wThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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# S7 Y& [, v. aBut 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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