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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. K r- B' R* z" N; _ k( L
k* m/ C# K0 L$ i1 c: y( ]# P4 s4 k: AOTTAWA - 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./ e* s7 l- U9 W# o" d6 s9 q, u+ L9 n
; J7 {; s. I0 a: b- O* |1 bPeople 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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2 a" n* F* z3 y) j6 F6 J8 SIn 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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8 z5 U' }) j7 T/ K5 S8 \$ FAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank./ Q7 i- d- T* D) n5 |. e
, |5 D# G) v) ^" ^. P# O* Z6 y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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4 V, a) x# p6 K5 w* _5 z5 TThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.5 q+ `; k& p, V9 @! n" n
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.- t( z# V1 |! C' c
/ c- j# u8 F. f. g! Y9 k) xBurleton knows how they feel.
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; ]; }2 \+ w7 I"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said., V, Z3 J& ]/ R8 [- Z) a, d u
# N: C9 v( S' q* kWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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9 m- y: x! C- k9 c5 l+ H& I6 JWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.# f% G6 p5 `' }; n( I5 m
( Y+ P' y2 a5 F$ w# ~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.& o, A- Z! r; h" {* _6 M
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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.
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! U% m' i9 \' g5 t8 ^& i. D+ D, xMeanwhile, 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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, J5 @8 _7 x6 a( q- [) jThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 p& P& j0 [, b5 n, V& C- |; M
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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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+ N' i: G2 g2 {+ A& {6 R0 M"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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v' L1 C1 y7 \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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