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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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4 q" n; S+ N4 [http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html. Q5 Y0 | P# r* x' d8 v* a- p; i% L
2 t$ j% F A( F( [) UOTTAWA - 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 B) Q$ X8 }( o* \0 X7 H# 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?1 A T+ B$ x; i' B6 o
, H: c8 p& @- C0 w! L1 LAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.7 M. ]4 j+ r# e( t( N+ b
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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5 [9 R2 L m! n6 G8 z5 `The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.$ E5 X c) M8 t7 o& x
9 A) V0 ~$ b9 i9 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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$ B: k: o7 B; V6 IBurleton knows how they feel.( g: i5 x0 t7 T
" U0 K w1 |4 S( ]5 ^"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.' K; r; y/ w( B. Z- D2 ^7 B
, a9 j2 D- N1 g& c5 e# y( {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.) N/ M4 _9 j, b6 s" A6 x/ h
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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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; n- L9 c- h1 u8 Z) Q: g0 F" d& 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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# {5 N3 o: \3 F5 S9 v JMeanwhile, 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., w$ b, z: V9 J
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ v2 X! t) M2 X" t
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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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* {$ }" q9 x$ }: b"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.0 f; l- B$ z5 ]+ s; {- Y8 K" W" C
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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."
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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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. Y4 S& l+ O* Y% {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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