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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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' }! L, K5 K* YPeople 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.# t, E. _+ D- a$ F( c2 z: N$ j
9 F; y" Z( e' ]. `0 a, FWhy might it be a good time to sell?$ V+ B ?& d- X, G o& P) m
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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.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( W- R8 K; O( |0 H
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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.3 q) b; x0 d" Q. S* l8 u/ R3 y/ r
; k4 E, w, D) 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.5 `8 D0 f+ d% o0 ?: }* w5 G
! `* j& y% O! q- q! P+ L( NBurleton knows how they feel.# C" }7 D, S8 I
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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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1 a/ {7 S% v0 B- D; b5 S! h# rWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way." ~0 A, O! f- R
- N( j. o. t0 Q. J2 D0 |2 i# FWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.6 x* n1 i, o( P! `% g! Q
9 @3 @9 `2 h5 `4 d' A) n' \. kAnd 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.' a3 G) v+ o8 f8 C! k( _6 G3 ?
0 O: r$ H7 K n$ {* { oIn 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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2 Q4 t. w# F6 MMeanwhile, 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.
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$ u* l) F7 {2 U; BDavid 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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: T( g' ?+ Z& J! d; A+ L"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."! n) C: U- K& K& @6 n, V. Y
5 z& T1 n& [( G2 O6 c& yThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.6 z6 o8 c# i, U" E. Y$ A
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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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