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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.4 Q8 l' s: o) o3 M1 W X
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html5 M' a( Y7 i" E) H) j, x5 {: @
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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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6 a) u4 L3 h* A6 g( y! w0 pPeople 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.- c* H2 z) F# b! v
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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.0 Y9 v% @7 `* ^: J) J: r
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Why might it be a good time to sell? V% V+ I3 X. D
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.; x9 E$ ^- Z: \% i' r
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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.- v) u7 Z: j! i5 I
( y: j- B$ p1 p4 {: e; x- PBurleton 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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: k! V6 }! X. x" h9 d8 R" P3 OWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.# t" B5 W$ i+ A: o% \7 u
% |6 W F& x. q2 Q1 j/ cWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.1 j: V6 Q3 L0 n' t! _
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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.7 O# a- Z$ f- }3 ~) m; S0 Y
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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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying./ E: s7 l2 U! i, g8 O; t( y
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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.7 A N& b1 h; K8 _/ C
( `% q) F3 C2 [; T3 `8 S"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."% d9 R5 N' A" Y6 h
. O6 ?" _& K% y) u& PThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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