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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- Q- L" b6 n O0 m
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html" ]) {% ~# m2 W0 u6 s: |
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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., r/ T2 X% [3 J: j1 `' x) H6 `
* n S2 ~$ x: X' _; aWhy might it be a good time to sell?7 D" e& U1 J! a3 V- ^
2 Z5 o% e+ `6 O6 ?: ?6 O! g# L- mAt 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.0 A" Z& |, K N' p2 j
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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.! Q- ?, _- z; t9 X/ a/ _
$ C V6 u" ]8 k3 _' I. C: t, ?"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop./ \) E; H, }3 @, y. V
/ v: K$ t& ^( q' DThe 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./ t3 I0 e+ e+ W! l
# T+ j n' h! ~6 _& E; k V! n$ E- vOf 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.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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"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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) j: d( f2 _9 Q3 r/ ^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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) u- R, w7 x; A9 D" i0 WWith 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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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./ P+ B; [- G! L: ?$ ^8 ?% i
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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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% c8 B4 H. D! wThat 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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"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.) o7 n* m0 w" B {8 T! o
9 k/ ~7 a" d5 i' q"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."$ Q* ?7 Y+ X2 ~3 r5 S( s; I
# S s; {* I4 {# S: H! uThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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3 n) C y. X( f0 h" {4 `- YBut 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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