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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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5 |+ j2 Q1 B0 [. w# ]8 f+ }http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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/ A; C! a4 V/ A# n* K$ E2 y1 e8 ?1 kOTTAWA - 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.+ \0 ]/ Z& P# e/ o* ~9 E; _5 f
# r, u: Q* [( s' APeople 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.+ Y8 E3 b: x7 e) e) X
( M9 p& S W/ J: P: L1 j4 ?- lWhy might it be a good time to sell? w# V. S! C5 ^, B- x
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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" ~9 v1 D( m* L/ J"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.! x; O, W( t, w- a* `; N
! C" Z4 O o$ y5 }& T: z"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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.
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4 I& w+ V6 q- x4 eOf 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.6 W; f5 K V0 Q% j1 u0 I
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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" g- |1 ?3 f* j7 U"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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u- `- e0 F, m7 ^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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( o* v6 T" W! v0 {8 I; [6 _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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" l1 g, d& ?) R4 CAnd 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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3 N& U: m$ ~ Z1 zIn 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.# B8 H' h% H7 N
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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.( z, u$ v3 O' j8 _5 n
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 r u2 `2 K0 f' `6 |5 [4 |' g
+ n0 g( c5 j- m( a9 n7 ^ N2 N9 t) ~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$ I0 l. p: X+ ^, k3 ^! v
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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.
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% k" r9 e9 P/ c"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."+ R. E/ T7 ^# p# E& W; h3 H( d' @3 ]5 @
3 j) x6 I+ o* h. W! z. y* sThe 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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