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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- P6 W3 F. U4 R, h8 |& d
2 b/ e( v5 Q3 X$ v% c- G4 ~9 t$ {http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 b& `- y$ z0 Y* H
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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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m$ p3 _. \ F1 |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.( v) _0 b- }, v8 c, X7 z
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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. u' i) y6 B( \/ p) e
, ~1 G& d* d/ Z1 VWhy might it be a good time to sell?/ L% K, G# p3 Y u5 w5 B
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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4 O! B5 ~! |, d"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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) v; y* }6 |6 K- Z9 n0 L3 `"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.6 ~2 y* o% n* X$ _! T: |3 a7 W
% ^- ] A' h; hOf 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.' X Z5 B8 \2 _# C8 w* _+ i1 j
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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" e( m$ ]% n- ?"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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* P' U5 |; U( @$ o$ J; t& RWhile 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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$ W1 L: u4 ]) y& tWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.4 k* |" }2 N! ?% G1 \/ B: B2 ?, e
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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." W8 H# Q! k7 w8 d: G
( ?* d- g4 i) ~$ J; fIn 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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, j' t- K ^/ \/ `9 p: n4 P0 kMeanwhile, 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. _( y# W5 l" u& v
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.! G" `/ \3 t8 p, r& P
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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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7 F0 Q7 U+ }4 b5 s& p3 j"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."5 `; r. i' z, R, D- C, a
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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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