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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖." P3 W5 i$ ~6 v+ [, ^
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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.
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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?
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; p3 h; e# C6 s! t7 B0 eAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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3 U+ P$ x( R( }( Q- W, |* u9 A/ _) g"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., N7 I. G9 q1 x+ A! k
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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.+ ~" l7 u( L# H( J4 [4 K
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Burleton knows how they feel.9 q& [9 {; Y' I) J1 y0 g% ^
+ f3 q7 V' u3 |% v- \"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.' h" a& V$ ~! F6 y4 a
. a/ o, N9 T3 K+ F7 k/ [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.8 t2 {& b5 a( e! O4 D
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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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6 [* }8 Y6 p; ^( }, e# j4 C9 WAnd 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.- W4 ` V& N0 Y2 J' [
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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.
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4 f7 A+ T/ K$ A2 ^, XThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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8 R" l7 e1 I3 B' L8 w P# cDavid 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.+ Y& b, j& ]6 z: F: j, ^
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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.# O' u& J8 D M: w3 F8 I7 `
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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."3 |3 h2 V' ?3 I8 G2 p/ L; x
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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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3 o. ~: Q7 N# v1 l1 ?9 q" J1 UBut 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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