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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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6 ?+ i" T3 Z7 D( ^5 w# m2 bPeople 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. t% x9 m% E4 J d1 K
/ [ _3 N. ~( ?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.! r+ w) i% x$ r, r
" x+ w# N8 N" |: Y: oWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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' d; x4 o+ ]* f8 O* z"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.! T, ?$ k. `% r
5 F% r) _: p+ |% {3 b"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 Y3 r0 j2 ]+ B2 I& v6 [, \, |& L. i2 P
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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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Of 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.& i! y# ?- @) z; h# w
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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% G$ d- ]1 N3 K"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.) E6 R# I: W9 }3 ?) _, ]" i
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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.: f8 y/ l& _* P; r/ T/ c. C
& p0 f3 H; K$ S9 n/ N eWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years. X( b- z/ E) v, w6 {! g
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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.# F2 l% S2 Y! `5 i4 g+ w. X& V
# F# H9 V, J: q9 t2 R3 s) o, iMeanwhile, 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.' v- j: _" x d2 \( k Q
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying." Y. Q+ x' e& b2 E8 x( C; R# J5 S1 L
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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.: B/ C% j: K7 y! X! E8 M
3 d. n4 H$ z1 E- A+ R7 ^"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."" B& ` |6 A* X/ T; t, g* M% V, w
4 U! @2 O+ W3 @5 s9 T5 f6 G( ?The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: g) k" |: D1 R
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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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