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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 a' C" N8 Z" _4 ]* N
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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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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.0 w& z4 r% d& D
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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.) I6 J3 Z& N- s" a: o# j
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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6 E' |" ]: ?" B+ _3 ?7 rAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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* k5 t( I8 ] R: n7 }% WThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.! O5 ^9 |! l3 Q$ g
4 M# {. i3 H" k4 C7 Z( Q8 nBurleton knows how they feel. V& c3 }; t% s, H3 b+ i! Q
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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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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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And 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.4 u- y+ C+ v7 O$ z
! U- H8 c9 L1 {0 v3 H4 ]6 e7 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.3 g1 f2 J1 G2 b [5 N+ Q
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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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! n9 ~' d! c- M, i/ `& Y' 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.+ E# Z5 f3 S7 T; S. @
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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.) ^, s9 G6 c5 O# k1 ^ u1 o$ E3 N
# F- F; _" S2 t4 ?"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."( ?5 U7 B! ]9 F8 n
" g5 D$ }! L/ d. W0 @The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.2 j; C: |0 f6 Z9 B0 I; T- E
) i/ R# h7 V; B; ?9 {' A( |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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