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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html" l0 j" t& f: f4 j) o5 z
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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.9 C% w, O7 n; m+ ]
/ w ]2 v. G* M2 {! h+ oPeople 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 x1 C- m B& g) B& f3 J Z5 u$ `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?
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" l3 A5 }2 W) tAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.7 o: O( i: {% |' M0 Y' `
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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8 I3 d8 g" l+ j7 D2 m"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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! P6 T0 y6 E$ b# j. b& j3 D! bThe 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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4 v/ X0 U6 J5 `4 l, p: qBurleton knows how they feel.
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/ P$ D( n5 e0 R# Z$ T) |: 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.
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: D+ i; x3 `* f4 y& 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.0 }/ }6 w9 ?( ~% }9 [/ k. X8 l
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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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: s% m; m: ~0 }8 RAnd 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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+ z' b, L7 x- D2 M0 ?$ L# ^" z8 NIn 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.5 H! H, g! }1 T; |: _# M. ^
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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.2 h) i M v$ b- A5 ^
/ }$ G0 t, G4 m6 \$ F% ~) ?That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.% ?' h" C/ z* Q7 h6 U1 ]- Q
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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.3 X3 M3 C3 S; q$ s1 U; z/ \" c! H" v9 l
& m+ }5 B! R7 w4 E: V" s E% D, i"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.: f4 R/ W5 Q% A- S
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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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; S/ H: S+ L' V$ DThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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