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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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# X& {9 J. ?% Y& v' I; `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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: p5 {2 n$ T- L6 Y, e3 Q- sIn 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.6 R6 g6 w8 F; Y9 A2 t
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.$ @0 Y" F# R, {+ Y' {! D- }& P
; v% c* Z! `1 k- e$ \"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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# t: a3 i; n- N. P& H% \) y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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4 w" [5 s3 O! v3 d' U) `, l$ D8 |9 fThe 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.% d" V9 P) U L0 P$ X
1 z" @3 g- P, N8 F5 A: cBurleton 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.8 s4 E1 O. E y% ]6 Y% w( C/ R
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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.' V, U; f: _6 A# f
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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.
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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.
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9 K9 [8 B& F7 v$ A7 \2 W" s% oMeanwhile, 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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% k9 Z8 t# `: U, \" y h* cThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.% K+ c& I7 c3 U, w; A4 P h
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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.5 ]4 ?9 [1 E3 q
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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., w9 z- ]; T1 V
& k$ u% q5 T8 {2 O"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."1 @. e. f. }% r- s
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.3 ?7 D* L+ k: T4 k7 c' m% h6 V5 t
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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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