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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 Y. i& K* O$ c% D
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html2 w5 d1 F/ u( T! l. x1 q
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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.9 v- f6 h: C9 r3 Q
/ a6 I6 w5 l' p& d- i+ ^5 `$ VIn 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?0 k$ O7 U3 @/ u" x
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.& c5 E% ]3 J7 s; l2 R! l
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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, n+ ~$ d/ a% T* i0 Z' V- \"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.0 q. J" k! [1 g0 F y
7 \) Z; e& s; _, u) POf 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.% q" C; W; C! l% j$ }' p
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Burleton knows how they feel.2 X* i4 e* l$ x* Q- C1 r D
( k7 J" ]% R9 k"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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' {' Z6 I" u* C8 D) @- HWhile 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.' E3 {1 I J" G0 V) U4 G7 i# {, _! {3 O
0 _1 i( q0 p/ j/ G5 z. X" L! HAnd 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.: j6 e9 P$ ]4 d4 h1 E+ M
; Y8 v8 E4 w! z2 k" pMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.
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+ J6 q Q5 H( H"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., ^& S# j/ E. Q2 V5 r
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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."! G8 _% R/ W$ V# w
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.- X% `- }# h- t! @3 d$ E
+ J8 T% g$ N+ I3 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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