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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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6 [, ]2 ?& T r2 [ m0 hOTTAWA - 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.! M+ d$ M+ @4 c/ ]* W) U% |
) p, x) ?' g. y; p, EWhy might it be a good time to sell?! z0 V( g: f4 ?0 ^3 ^
' q, N2 u+ J# } g& xAt 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.& J5 G% q0 n* @ E `* _
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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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 N& a9 ~- D- w( M/ j; p. E# v
$ o# r3 z9 S$ _+ c6 M: d 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.2 j A0 x l" v: i
: J* z! R4 l* ~" Z0 I) hOf 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.) ^) a; k3 Z7 U, Q6 R/ M
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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1 {3 m6 D0 l; }' ~5 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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0 C# E4 m: D0 }: `8 S* K& tWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.0 K& I& V, l/ h% K& g
* J2 P% b! x: e* F" |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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/ [2 Y; `$ M" ]3 {3 C8 `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.* y1 ~" C; s& a, T
4 t( z* n1 K/ {1 C3 KMeanwhile, 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.$ F. h2 o" |! u# P, \! L# Q
: o" e! L/ R2 P: s; t& q RThat 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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7 k7 a( a+ E' o+ c- Q"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.
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; T# [- W8 g! ]8 F/ i- h0 f"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."- M1 N% A( @5 e$ U, B" Z
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! T' z% E6 o# u' M) ~
. s! ?, J; l- `9 F+ |! o2 `( x0 hBut 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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