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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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1 n; q; E, r' }http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html$ F- h" i9 e8 u4 O! N
2 L0 q( u; u9 _& tOTTAWA - 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. d {- t- O1 P" c3 I
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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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+ H, X, Y; Z' Q B/ W7 J. o6 TIn 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.# J' V. W1 f5 V! a6 C6 \8 H4 _
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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7 j' I0 o1 D: U- ]) h z"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.1 U t' z: Q+ P
F! P- M) E3 s' r/ p5 x"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.# Q% w" k t! t+ f6 w! D5 \. {6 Z
' U1 t/ u! n# N/ f& K3 vOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.% r$ B- A) C5 R/ t: Z! }
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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2 A8 t- E4 s5 d. O+ t"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.' Z+ F6 v7 m' a5 R( s
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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.7 t5 m$ [& d, `+ T$ t, i- S
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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.8 E: D T g7 z% I) }3 E4 C: y
" h9 X+ D" G5 ~6 Z# @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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/ X' p, A8 l6 U$ 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.3 ?( q* l/ j" W3 e+ O* l
3 I. D, q7 ~; q1 V5 f7 F5 \"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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3 r* z7 ~7 G4 Y"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.1 _' J# l( L/ Y4 M) N0 z. y
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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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