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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.html5 ~; w# \& f( L5 Z. J. r. W
0 h, h+ M, D9 a# _8 l" ~4 VOTTAWA - 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.4 ^, J/ M- I# I; L ?3 X; F
- {: s* N& l! V& I" lPeople 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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2 ^/ E8 o, E2 l8 [/ c3 ?Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.( T) }& O9 X' x; a8 v, _. K+ T
" F" x7 r) A+ ~4 w# ?: e"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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& P9 n: i' [) A3 E; I"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.4 k0 x$ i3 _8 r' O R" t
6 A: s7 g! L/ t7 {/ j* sOf 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.
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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.
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: x# e$ J3 T0 ]/ N% bWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.3 ` j* U3 z/ }0 x( P
5 ~/ m( R5 P# J! W# LWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.* ]5 I0 L( s 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.
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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., m* o W T$ {
2 ?, s" ^( I3 c0 d- OMeanwhile, 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.+ _5 F# E% {# w5 U3 q( Y
& n2 m; ?0 z/ Q* sThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 U$ {4 D0 K* m" O
+ U+ r$ ~0 f; V j4 J) E* } y2 o" R4 UDavid 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." s6 d) Q( x: ^0 Z
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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.+ f) `0 {& _9 k
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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.": ~3 ?+ G1 H" I9 v6 ~
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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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