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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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+ O* J+ Z6 x7 l- j4 d( {9 _9 ]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.1 y- v* \; R9 R& S; r% o9 _7 `
: O" s, K! |& J/ K. |& 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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7 Z& k+ o! Y6 u+ BWhy might it be a good time to sell?: ^* k0 w9 T- i
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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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. Y7 {5 G! V/ p5 s- h D0 ?6 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. x- E3 u+ s% p% i' F" T% [
" p& l3 e9 K0 X2 L" X) t( b"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! ?" `0 d) i4 X) ]/ c3 \0 M
$ E8 N$ r; Z, M( F7 {1 JThe 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.% G$ @% P! E9 |5 Z4 S) l$ G# U
R) x% H( ^$ J! GBurleton 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.
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* x! @ h% h$ o& |0 T( @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.
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0 j& x3 t" j/ V/ S! dAnd 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.
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[% x& A W, @/ \6 p) X* |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.# X, N/ u, q9 D% m5 j! x- v/ M
. X9 _0 r+ @5 | sThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ m! e' m( G; c$ l( H9 L4 N$ O4 N
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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. K' g5 t3 {6 g9 g; b! e# p; L
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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.8 `- }$ m3 P N% D, p& P$ b' w1 O
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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."/ s( i0 t) I6 @% ]
" f0 F" z' P: ], WThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.' A" I q7 A$ R. F& W3 z8 n
+ m+ o* V' F% |! H% l+ e* @9 }8 oBut 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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