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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.: d( n8 | p; B; M/ S/ E+ S& \
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html! [5 C& J7 w& K& r" F
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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.% E4 i0 ]: U+ D" O
g" e2 t# d$ f0 r( MPeople 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.
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# s/ u$ |1 S5 S/ @Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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' J# i6 D4 Q5 L9 l# c"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.2 X9 {# S- [" o4 P" R
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.) O( e8 {7 \$ }! |: X5 \% [0 [( h5 {7 A
6 Q' o7 O, G) a1 E/ JThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.. p4 ]: C; J* G t+ Y5 x
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
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While there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.* A$ v# }# g6 C. @; \, N
) I3 W% E* F$ Z: U; S0 T TAnd 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.9 h e7 k7 w) V5 F+ ^
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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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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.6 X a4 v, r4 u/ R. g9 j0 q2 X- k1 r+ ^
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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.
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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.+ ~) J) G) I- Y
0 f/ F. i6 e3 ~"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."+ ]0 M) U$ w7 A( I
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( H( Q3 i$ E. L2 n6 U
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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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