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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖." W; U6 S% r2 ~+ f
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html" l5 g( w0 u4 o7 I' F5 H7 w+ H
2 B) k F0 z/ m$ H% ^/ H$ NOTTAWA - 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.3 ^! s8 v7 K7 @" V% v( a! n; f
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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.: ^, `9 J) L/ z+ o
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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.6 ]8 {+ j4 y7 f8 I5 V& T
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Why might it be a good time to sell?! F( o$ l5 \7 z" ]% Q& v- ]
/ a4 f* d2 w* Y( m+ n( dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." }. }; w0 N% p6 }
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.3 W+ v& Y% }! N* {6 W6 N: I+ B9 f
: e4 H0 T* k+ b"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. q# `1 ]" F* M$ R1 r/ ~
* S3 L: Z4 l2 W0 WThe 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.4 E( w0 V8 q# M" o
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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. e& \0 M( @5 s- ^ K! s"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.1 m# X/ C P% ]' j3 r' {
$ h6 L% ^ D, wWhile 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.1 u) h5 r/ K& f/ d% _
$ X2 Z1 M( m" W4 d, R F& x2 mAnd 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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' Z3 M4 Y# ?$ J0 `! IIn 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.7 a1 z- y; n. F' r
2 ?% P8 j9 E. l) kMeanwhile, 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.! ~4 _2 |( b% c+ H& w; m O. T4 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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, m8 c% K/ N4 e7 kDavid 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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$ |9 h M9 W: q4 k4 \"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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"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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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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