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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+ M8 R, k1 l' j$ 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. q: {: O7 l. B, d3 \
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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.# X$ j+ \& H4 ?0 e; J
) O6 V8 Y2 j3 T4 W7 VIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?- m0 O0 K( O, J9 M% l
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.: b( ^5 z2 T1 u- K
' R+ ` S8 W5 j( A9 Z"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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2 C' q, Q) B7 ]. z7 O"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. J" o/ |' q) p6 L4 [
+ N& P4 N" C2 A+ k6 RThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.. j! n: l9 f, J
- V! g4 \9 C" P+ f0 HOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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5 V8 j6 K, Y# `6 U2 `2 \: _$ JBurleton knows how they feel.
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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.0 W# W) l& @* Z2 R
4 e7 |% L. B, q7 H1 _& w4 `4 I4 rWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.7 ]5 o# U4 l2 `5 {* b
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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.
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# T% e: ?" `. n) ]" {% |( G+ ]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.( E, x' U0 m: v" k
$ t7 \6 W( b) P( X+ G2 ^: e3 E5 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.+ z1 \3 p4 `; v: _3 C/ ?" \5 N
8 u+ g: m* O) m% g"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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! d7 G6 W6 _' c7 \$ U"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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* i- V7 j# h3 i; @4 WThe 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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