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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.8 e# I" |* R2 f- j
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html. y; W9 a+ t: `: [
! k, l8 ]1 [ F3 h5 eOTTAWA - 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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7 E$ y; t1 ?: M) ePeople 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./ ^/ }+ H4 T& y( k& R
" k5 _6 V; i" m4 yIn 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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" h: F0 a1 M5 j1 y1 sWhy might it be a good time to sell?! l* w) B: H7 a7 U# U
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.9 j; T r6 B# t$ E: |! g7 J! [
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 O' w2 w8 ^2 b) @$ i
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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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, H4 q0 U* w! X, mOf 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.) ?: x* s8 G4 J$ b4 v7 v* g. u3 Q
( ^: Q9 X1 r8 I9 `; j' F! vBurleton knows how they feel.6 r4 J5 U% z* v0 E, q" {6 l
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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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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.! H: H) i4 I) c! s Y' X) x8 U
, h6 A2 K' [3 H9 v- w: |6 V1 RWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
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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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6 w# k3 e1 W6 @8 y9 L CIn 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./ \# b: P) T& F. f5 I2 i
7 t3 w# n% v% n5 J+ }Meanwhile, 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., t; B' L2 x7 X' {
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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.
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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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& G' z4 I% V6 D: j1 M6 Y. AThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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! _, p6 x' ?" n7 H. H* `2 L3 }0 RBut 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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