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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.2 T: f. f- m( M% W9 Q
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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.: C# V$ u7 a2 ~* K/ ?0 F
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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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, y( q8 U' J" [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?2 j! Y# ~+ O$ s {
7 L$ T7 Z2 D, ]& HAt 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.5 ?- v& x& N: {
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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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: x# U7 e3 \6 x! Y8 e; |/ @# ^ @7 }"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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) v! e& O6 e# A4 N. kThe 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.* z7 g) ^- y* N, F% U
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Burleton knows how they feel.( G9 ~( J6 `1 W+ G4 g9 N
$ e8 {( f$ X) G! j5 D9 i* c( [4 E"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.3 Z+ J: x! t( p/ W, e6 ~ M4 m
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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.) ^( ?6 |5 y& O
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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.3 e+ K' [; c0 E8 w& V4 Z
, J& |' [ Z! i5 A$ g1 M& ~6 x/ `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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$ H$ z# T. r7 uMeanwhile, 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.1 e' L0 U, m" E% X$ J' n
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.2 m& _ x6 W1 @# f* s
) ?7 G/ [0 _" E, W, y/ W0 JDavid 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.# n& t- J# c( H8 `/ s' [/ a0 @
; L! w4 k+ E4 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.& `- J+ |9 \! B4 y" `" u' Q6 N
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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."+ e8 D7 \" H% y# E
5 i1 |8 E) k( k; aThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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- ~, t7 {, m0 ?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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