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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' {0 O% \2 c# l D" G, R
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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.7 E6 k/ i1 O# S1 f; j0 s
& Y2 ^1 f' v9 q8 U1 c7 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.2 G( W6 j6 k* O' K7 f- d; V4 F6 m6 s
0 n6 d- \% v, ^0 L7 ^8 M& tIn 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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" A4 t. K2 V) q! QWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 v0 |1 Q1 n3 y
" n) s: C, d. n& i w- [ W s"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.$ N3 b6 s v/ t" s% e# v0 H
" A2 w/ Y1 t8 g0 p"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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.- D7 j8 i7 Y! x* ]# H, g
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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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0 ^" E! h" o; W+ W& A. m2 ]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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5 ^ ]. X- X4 H( h* uWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.; P' G l$ o A) G) T
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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.2 l6 g* K+ z* e! `, {) i @
# y( [' f: g: Q8 E6 ]: {/ A( jAnd 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.& k7 A* [ Y% V- ^0 \
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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.
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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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- W9 ~3 }3 j, c( s% W, bDavid 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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"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."' O! O$ u, i7 n5 [ Y) D5 A3 z
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.1 R+ k; a4 n- t( |0 {0 X" h( v
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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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