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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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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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- B) }( ?! j1 Y* o" Y) a% ]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.: o$ C/ Y; H+ @9 q+ Q. K& z' F
8 x" |" V+ t/ q( S: K& ~Why might it be a good time to sell?
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. u6 y' h" K2 g8 \# b! dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank. p+ w/ @ D7 c, O1 u, U) E/ |
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.: u9 Z* Y& @8 _, n4 [) O
0 @* W1 s( e( n$ y" XThe 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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0 _. n0 I: E+ q- M# 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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+ k, t+ ?, j4 n) B8 Q! r% |"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.2 I5 a0 J/ \/ Y0 R% X
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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.9 A* B" y$ {4 c
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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.1 y/ O4 O! B+ C7 T2 [
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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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# p) T, B$ o6 P8 u7 e4 \0 B' JMeanwhile, 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.# m( e# Y' W/ x4 [3 {! H2 e
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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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8 I: C" l" ~, q% X+ pDavid 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.: i2 b+ x! E! [- x9 P T
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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 X: \/ {4 H/ [- t
/ O, u5 Z+ T& N* I" |$ N: P"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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6 Y6 [" R5 H& t3 F5 F9 FThe 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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