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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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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.; g8 M' k: K" [; V( j/ K( |: `
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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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& d, k7 k; S5 w* P1 y* v5 AWhy 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.1 q& ]6 {5 c0 P* O4 s1 h
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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.# s% |0 a& O) w# ]: \) X
: T1 s/ F5 p# O- n Z% ?9 s"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 R2 o/ t& L) ]
; z; X% F6 M6 }% L2 {, JThe 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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w. }% U, ^) M u) }' ]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.
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) R: P5 N" r/ z+ v$ c; q1 tBurleton knows how they feel.7 a. m- u3 _- J" V
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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. C; o# }5 j; R/ u
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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.# h1 }9 B$ g( M, x8 c3 k) P. @
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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.4 Z' T6 C" @( u! |4 ~
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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.
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* c* x/ ~6 A/ V/ I6 v( rMeanwhile, 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.: B' o/ L, N a6 \
, J8 t7 ` b6 }3 e- Q+ WDavid 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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"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.6 X- L1 l, [ C4 l2 P
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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."! a/ ^1 s: P, E! B& I7 r# G
% s' U6 d8 G6 R/ J3 qThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.* k. _! d* v f) N
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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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