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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.html0 Q+ X2 d# e9 r8 i
% _; o( P& ~) H- h1 z( k. ^0 TOTTAWA - 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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- A. {; M; `1 ?7 d i/ G! SPeople 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." M' W. A2 Y/ [7 m1 U! w
6 T1 G% Z: @. ^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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2 `% Q, ~2 |' B0 x4 ~ J$ N% R/ q' S/ vWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# ?% E' O' F3 p7 l1 [/ Y Z& M
, @, {. S% ?$ Y, d W, ^: A"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.
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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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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.& R/ l& {3 T1 r! K5 q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.5 l* V' j/ z5 s
" y+ b8 f& i- p+ l* ]' B6 _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.1 T3 F/ J0 ]- ?9 L6 _8 y7 f( O P
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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.8 S, @% N. s7 f, i% d
6 n& h& Z! q a8 @+ c! T9 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.% l( S. H! m1 \ C
1 j7 v) `% `+ U' 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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0 ~2 W. f. ^, x9 wThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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: e E0 C5 L* _% L0 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.- v' v- t- ^" o: s7 ~9 u- Y3 h
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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 Y r9 ^" U' `( {
) J- q5 S8 N5 z3 y8 z5 y"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.% t* i1 Q8 Z1 H2 G
d2 ?; a5 u9 o; |5 G& x0 EBut 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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