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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, Z( j7 ?! A# A( N* A( A
4 o4 s9 n# G; }' V- K& d6 Q. JOTTAWA - 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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7 h. C) M8 M) t) hIn 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.* y( G% F8 g% e# F8 q/ n5 j" }" E
; L9 G3 O$ R0 ], b. C; }Why might it be a good time to sell?
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7 P1 T3 G+ ]) ]' U3 U% r2 P% TAt 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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) D4 N0 z1 n& @ c4 j3 i9 |"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.
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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 k1 I* x. U. Y H: U9 g
5 o0 h, u# C4 Q! GBurleton knows how they feel.
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: ]" S: w; y; C"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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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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; }7 h3 g8 i' `" m! aWith 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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+ w' { V$ O& l' I a' P# PIn 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.9 x' d, s$ ?7 G5 z
1 o8 Q2 o9 c3 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.+ G% @! ]" E6 N6 C0 U
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That 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./ Q3 }: i" X) _5 K4 u4 {
, Z( q3 c5 Z; `) Z8 X! A4 q"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.0 @; \4 E6 Y7 D3 P, U
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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."& T, J C: L; P, q, m& l+ d! Q
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.* Q5 e1 E2 B$ W( d( M' z7 c
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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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