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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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1 U( u4 q; p1 p9 O# n6 ]5 `http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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3 a2 u4 M) S2 C/ x9 FOTTAWA - 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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( e( C" [+ {' y: t& K4 ?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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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?$ E- l, l1 B' m7 t3 M
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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.
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7 q o" x: C p' m- Y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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. p/ J( W6 _7 I- c, YThe 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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F! u* b1 {4 }, k4 i, Z% U+ r0 dOf 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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, }5 Q D% k& ~0 F( [7 QBurleton knows how they feel.. T8 u" C, g& n+ d
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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.( @/ M2 r, [/ D7 ^ G/ B
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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.0 V! t) [0 l/ t
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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.; Y& s+ ? S* ^/ R" f
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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.5 Q, U5 Z0 M( A- w
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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 {, K- Y2 E9 p! \; U# Y) xMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying. ?3 v! q' O1 [1 m
3 M* A* B+ T3 g; QDavid 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.- S: W3 ^% L6 Q M0 z. y
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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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5 a& q: k, [1 O"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& c/ L" k' h, t1 U' x
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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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