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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.! e4 i1 H) r! _1 H" }$ H# k3 a6 v
' Y6 G7 k4 J9 Z/ O/ R! ^http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html4 ^4 y+ D2 E" x' t
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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.7 h+ D2 [& q3 n8 d6 z: }" C: W6 O
+ E! {8 z- ]8 { T' V" q& s; `. 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." L' I. j0 B1 n+ c# U
X0 c$ R- D2 b$ k% V o' Q+ M' NWhy 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.3 T3 u" ?/ `; v' V
2 E5 C: L, w0 ^1 e% a"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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& y) L1 K. i2 w1 I"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., J0 m( e) ~, Q
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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.- y; o4 C4 S. Q+ ?7 l
; K9 s0 q; X% Q2 d' I0 wOf 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.0 d: f; m9 m, A* q
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Burleton knows how they feel.6 y. Y7 F( H3 g6 M8 f. u! N
$ ]: H& t4 v3 i! d% `"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.) s3 K/ Z* N0 n. A6 j
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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.+ c* }2 K- M9 f# i! }3 X; d5 I
8 I# r% N( W; ~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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7 w2 P& U- h& E$ E6 L2 c+ 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.
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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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ ~/ K! e, o; T) [5 k' |7 Q
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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.! B: ]( x8 @/ G& J! x+ v5 |
3 f& X0 ~& [6 P! A3 I0 X" M4 l"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.
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; K: g7 Q4 W# b9 G3 ~8 W2 Y1 {* }"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 I9 h7 d4 ^8 ]8 C! Z' }( I
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.' L- a' B9 `" I0 ]2 t
& ~; T. y- C2 P7 D( @ R- IBut 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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