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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! V2 n, \% L7 \7 Q0 H8 y+ ^
3 u' U: E* |: M! S: WOTTAWA - 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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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.6 e( B0 K# a" T0 B; V
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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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 K7 d$ l( n' m) n& C
; d# y7 b5 D3 r' F- q1 {; c1 |; t"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., L( b6 T% m! d2 t$ Z. u; U+ }! H" S
4 Q! K& S7 ~7 s1 @( R' A"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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# S7 W# C5 H% c& i- N; @6 AThe 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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+ H1 k N; d Q/ D+ b5 w5 Y qOf 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.. h8 h2 }* e+ ~$ M; R1 w/ b
) S2 F, \$ [4 m6 p8 @. Q! m+ JBurleton knows how they feel.3 |% c9 k" Z1 A) m( K
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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.3 W* c" h6 d; T- ^; L
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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.
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$ M4 F* n4 Y5 dAnd 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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- I7 _# Z3 r. ]5 LIn 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.& b# G0 X5 D5 e5 M8 { u h
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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, H" j6 s/ n1 k
+ P# J) ?; g* b9 N @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.
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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.: y! {) ^9 _6 G" [# C
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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.$ |4 L( E" D2 Z. \/ }! T
2 b: g7 r- I/ ?+ hBut 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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