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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.) d/ _3 ^- O: L" D' g, m8 s$ r
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html& v0 {" I: O! z8 F, R
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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.
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" f/ t8 D# A6 {4 V5 ?: y6 j) B6 WPeople 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?) O& d+ r |0 R8 h7 V8 [
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( b' M9 m3 C1 w% |
7 S; p9 g6 l5 o6 q, P' z7 L/ m7 h+ WThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.1 M! j2 O; @- h
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.3 H! }' Y9 S% R- d5 I' R: X' L& b
& t9 R. u0 E' ~1 X/ O5 vBurleton knows how they feel.0 i- Q. h$ A+ K9 }: `9 y# }# a1 }
; `+ |) X; _0 o0 Y. W |( q$ m"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.) s7 a0 Q% Y: W: y1 F9 e2 Q
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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.7 z9 g( S) l* I `) E2 o0 a
4 x8 I/ v0 b9 j0 sWith 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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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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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.5 H& Y1 e' O! x/ Z! P
6 D. o" X1 [. _8 YMeanwhile, 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 {: ?7 s( ?4 @2 a; w& s
# x$ I1 Y% M# F2 }That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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/ ^6 {/ ?7 `; I0 \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.' g( S. r5 U% [% H0 W0 {
2 m7 n U5 Q1 N/ @( Y3 I, c"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.+ ~; d) G8 J4 Y L) ?% M
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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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5 G5 `0 s+ m3 H8 ?; n% p$ X9 FThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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4 e0 x& ?( o7 k3 \% CBut 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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