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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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$ i* V8 s6 f. K7 K6 T8 _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. [; I e# n$ J/ H& X( ~
a* z; x; X4 LIn 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.# P) e& m, z4 y) ^% i
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.' h3 C. L+ R7 w+ L
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.$ M. F b! L- ~! J) p) y5 R
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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.
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: P! w: F0 @0 h) w5 L; y; P1 pOf 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.# E7 P" K) M7 M# r+ U4 ~
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Burleton knows how they feel.( i$ z9 \$ }; @$ D' M* o$ U- T
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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.0 C; s9 @# A; a& L& {
# ^6 n+ q# V9 f9 t& mWhile 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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1 e6 I' C/ c8 j7 j9 HWith 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. l9 @% e3 R$ M# u
" X! j! l k# E7 i( EIn 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.( X Z" v% |$ N3 m% \$ h; U/ S
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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.$ J6 W# X2 j& t* v h
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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.* \, i# R! E* x! x! G0 v7 q
; } A2 {5 I" d6 @# F! v4 y"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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* k, {9 v v3 ]3 {5 i"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.2 T7 p" m6 c, S' }5 O
8 {, s) {) C9 s' a# j2 I, vBut 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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