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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# X( x, V& v5 m( r' |4 f& z% { X
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html1 K: r) o+ N) U. t3 j3 ?) q% J
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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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( S9 k4 C X5 w. i( `0 rPeople 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.% j* E8 n! w( D7 e4 m
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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: H! t5 }5 N7 z4 bAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 g' H2 C6 i0 y& B
+ g+ B" H U/ ~! Q# _"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.$ O0 R! y0 J( n6 T
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.$ m& C0 y' ~) N) ]$ D4 \
& B; T4 n% M1 n$ {0 h- r6 YThe 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.
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# M& z- [# ^+ Z% z"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.7 P) @" u3 ]4 d) [
) b4 P* P$ ?4 E' b; [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.- x" F/ J3 |) Q5 `! @
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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.; u8 u- |* w% ^: ]
8 Q" I' r+ m9 Z" p8 ?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.2 g+ s" S' z) S' h2 c1 A: o
& ~# f# _3 y8 L" iMeanwhile, 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.
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; E. n: c1 c7 S- RDavid 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.# D: o7 J. V) l# ?) x3 o
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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."5 t9 X& C$ h5 F0 {- Z
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The 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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