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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 a a' N! s" X( A; F2 l. N
$ X @; q3 A* e, iOTTAWA - 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.3 x2 M/ S3 h% _3 X6 d$ ]$ o
/ z0 J3 L- L1 `+ UPeople 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.* A, x. y( c* q! c4 `* i8 T
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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?
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" @% ~% J" |7 D$ d1 kAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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' Q: I4 s3 W6 c+ Z* |. w$ u"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.
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0 J: W) Z2 J: w" H- C! R5 {9 n1 NOf 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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% H( \. Y$ Z% \( n$ M$ J4 [8 q8 pBurleton knows how they feel.- L" C4 [8 Z* z6 d6 [5 J4 X
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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.2 C% u0 `4 ^" B. Y
- `( N' \5 [3 D% ?9 H) s& T* ^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.
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% U* Q& A, F3 ^. [' KWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.1 K8 M' V: f" C7 x1 B3 O) q
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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.' n/ m/ Z9 n9 c5 K% `
E/ H8 m, w6 lIn 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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. ?" _' l& W( w" m! PMeanwhile, 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.! m, y. T/ s$ f- B
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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.3 d' _% }3 z7 t; J2 n1 v, j
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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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"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.6 v3 L. S) U* z$ m4 }( u
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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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