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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
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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.
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3 G+ V; r$ p8 X' c, N7 WPeople 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.# D* C# a) N: e5 U1 l
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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.* c9 Z7 j0 t7 A7 K2 t# \0 g: i* {
0 `4 |% N9 S, s0 g+ |9 PWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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8 J5 T; Y ?! |5 V5 ^At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* G: h; s1 q/ c% X, u' B1 }) s
+ P& _6 B7 w9 c"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.6 W( y; E5 x8 k, ~/ c
2 k0 d% {! M2 C+ F. |+ B"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop." ~1 S5 h2 `: L" d# C" N; k' }
. i) ^0 M$ P! Z" l! eThe 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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8 s) o# R. F/ f/ M. \$ AOf 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.1 Y% H/ d: n( m `9 i9 n6 X6 _
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Burleton 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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n8 H1 h( z$ R3 @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.. c$ R2 i# u+ ]4 S9 M+ M- u) i
% q) x2 c u5 o# ZAnd 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. @3 _1 f' X6 x2 b+ l' T
* L8 d' _2 A, n F8 Z* f7 CIn 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.2 j- c0 [/ p' _- H
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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.& K' {* k! p. K
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.$ h9 d$ m. F! D
% N( o2 X6 H3 E0 F2 t"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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0 J) u! Y( A! k8 z) `The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ T; D7 V1 x* U
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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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