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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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. } E# g, j+ q H- f7 \7 v+ x% ^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.) [. i1 K. |: y( n; _* H
2 h. b5 t$ {$ j- d# }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.
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+ f! q" y1 W, e% d) Q) zIn 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.! |# \, X7 i% w' x: O
& C- {5 @5 l) x9 }! oWhy might it be a good time to sell?7 Q+ ~/ P( V! K6 E* O8 d/ P5 n
& s6 K: n) `! \" V0 KAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; c+ B+ d; ~# C4 l, X
; Z' [7 b# }9 W' P* N( h3 t"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.9 m3 M5 E' t! u
- u6 k0 @; \" h' [5 G"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.- F0 C* U6 R. ^" n; Z, C0 O
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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( Z6 i) o1 Q4 D7 e6 JOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.$ ^ }' ^* U1 a* v! R: _6 e
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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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6 C1 }. _+ D; J2 Z5 fWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way./ j. J& u( }7 h4 G! Y
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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.
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: B4 h" U7 O! O- S- g% ]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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- q3 e. M _" A# v3 \% q$ Y6 k# wIn 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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& ]% s5 j0 `) ?+ o1 bMeanwhile, 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./ a$ c2 s, `+ F5 R1 M6 Z
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.* E! i9 ^9 O7 H
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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.+ @; |' T; H4 F
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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( T, y' _/ e( q( F
7 k& e1 a2 u9 xThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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