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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# W; C5 m9 s7 j3 t! Z
+ C# ~# V" Y2 b, f# _2 mOTTAWA - 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.- N5 a/ c6 [* h! R r
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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./ O, L# C& v" |% y4 R
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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.3 j7 A/ F' _ J: B) `) p/ H
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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% K. A0 R4 n4 Q+ @4 v. }" wAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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' Q' A9 _+ O! i. ^0 D/ q"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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( M0 J+ m: \; L# w" i3 _"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.: {' w; {, {1 s* _
( e6 B# q2 H1 `" v& S4 ?The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.$ R5 \2 B8 K+ r+ H: P0 Q
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Burleton knows how they feel.5 u- I- v* I9 c. g, _
% i+ G7 I9 |2 \+ H% v x4 x"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.2 }. G! a! Z. I5 M- D' _
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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.- V6 w2 [* Y0 k
) P. k/ s9 {1 l0 n. O' P9 zWith 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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+ ^5 R3 d& t- }# qAnd 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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* `, `* n5 Q1 n% V V- GIn 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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3 H9 O0 B$ H5 uMeanwhile, 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. ~% \4 e4 y0 `. d/ Z8 F
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.2 s8 O! p* X% l7 L/ q1 e9 x
6 i( B+ M1 T* S4 Q0 W2 jDavid 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.9 |; E. I( O' @; Q4 i+ B# Z
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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.. q u: L8 c1 J) w R4 }
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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."; Z. r1 H8 @4 A, E' F" \% S8 B7 P/ o
$ S$ x2 j7 `+ |/ U7 z ~The 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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