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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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5 \3 \1 g+ t2 `- {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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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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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?3 o6 m9 m! X5 \) h
4 a4 p1 p# G/ c1 g' S- {- {5 iAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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& D1 r. V8 ^/ p4 ^% S"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.5 J7 |1 V/ [) @$ i o- @
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.$ b' p5 r( d; S- ~# F& X" j$ c0 U) h' K( J
. q7 F3 Q! u4 MThe 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.
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! W6 I& p# A lBurleton knows how they feel.
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& c/ f* {; q" V) O+ m"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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3 H; S ~+ [, A$ _: ~5 mWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way." ~: b4 K* x8 |" ?8 r. k
3 A# {* H0 c, F) N. w7 \: X6 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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In 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.% m8 ]1 {2 u' X8 R _2 a. [
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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. S' Z i. O2 c& N
4 o, M, N5 }4 t1 F1 cThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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M$ h2 a9 L+ Y5 a4 M& S# VDavid 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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/ w( ]2 t5 @/ e4 H# }! r"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.% I3 D' R5 z( f/ D6 ? c
. G; u; W* r, A" r"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."$ V9 A. j7 r6 g! B
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The 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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