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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; I, p4 ~3 I& [- L6 {& Y0 r% K
, ]: ~8 T+ E# Rhttp://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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* ?( M* w9 N+ H& E( cPeople 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.' g# R' I5 U9 C/ a; f8 n
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Why might it be a good time to sell?" I6 }3 m( c: k d- v+ v V9 k B- r6 u8 E
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank./ h# g/ O- N$ m% }# Y
* i4 z$ A" J0 I"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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% i) _* U! b* |: w7 bThe 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.7 P5 M) ~3 d% N7 L& Q, X9 Y( h5 I
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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* J! {; L% D" w; w x"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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& E7 X- L/ m/ v/ X4 y3 ]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.; A4 b8 T4 ^1 L3 z& E
. w7 q0 U- R1 H6 k3 ~/ h8 OAnd 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.! r- d) Z, |- M. l+ p
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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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9 S: M/ \6 K( a6 c( M3 yMeanwhile, 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.8 {1 f5 V8 t N; I+ }3 }
! F3 {! c X6 lDavid 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.: Q6 _9 n6 n! c
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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.
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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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( @% M7 M% b+ ~4 a% j6 p: l
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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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