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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- |" r( g. J9 {* G
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html' R8 |+ A' P, V2 }
# v- H: f) E N% ^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.+ w9 M+ v; S. I4 O+ g
1 |2 W, T9 }: _+ G( `3 r/ G# tPeople 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.
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* @ I! j0 O8 W3 t2 CWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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! n: z* i8 |* n, |) EAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.& e7 X2 K% h& z9 |! a
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. O t4 n) M7 n8 U0 q
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.# A: x5 O5 u# A
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.8 W( [8 v$ y+ T! j" r7 A+ v$ H
3 y3 v# f) Y& A6 b0 R; z4 ABurleton knows how they feel.
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1 n% l. W# ~( g"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.
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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.' n& A9 T: @1 b; s, M, 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.
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5 U& Z0 V1 f2 {4 iIn 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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( z; @7 S" m% ?8 ~( }# R0 IMeanwhile, 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.6 B c' g, Q4 `3 |
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.) j; ]% }: ?, @4 C
, H) U s8 W" qDavid 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.2 T( }- I8 e/ n8 D/ L- a
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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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0 F8 W2 L7 L% Y! b4 T: y. Q% Z"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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& v' |" _0 W& @ |" s( uThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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' ?$ a0 B k. f& }% J' ~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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