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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.2 o. t1 B) }! S, a
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html4 A: a' h9 X% x* S# J
& H& A: \) A% f! iOTTAWA - 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.) [8 V, l4 G! m8 ]: o( e- m: M
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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.
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6 y7 k) g7 n; H7 H' JIn 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.0 W+ g4 h6 J5 O+ B
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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y5 K4 d+ c+ N"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 N, J, r3 I1 ?: `
5 ^' A! `4 T; C4 Q/ p7 ~5 G9 vThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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) K! r9 P! Y; U7 u( JOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.5 \6 P u; w$ ?! C- N" R8 n6 s
# y0 Z7 Q1 S; h" ~$ M! n+ K& X( G"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.
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3 H& w1 ]# M. d/ o9 N# lMeanwhile, 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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+ _, I1 \8 z+ C3 y5 L4 R% G2 `That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying." [5 L: w9 G1 i) d
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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.
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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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* @! e5 L, d8 ~8 _"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."+ f; r$ f. J) t1 o/ t8 x
# ?: E, M" j& N* R. |- \2 `The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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; U+ ?4 z( {9 d$ [; r1 [/ a; B% sBut 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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