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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.html3 w" K" M- a5 w$ {2 \9 q
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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.% F4 W' E) ?! T! ~6 m p% h) _, a
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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.
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" O4 |: R7 U6 GIn 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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- x, N+ S1 a; }7 o; @0 |. FAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.# d5 Z8 `" x. P ]( t+ i
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.0 v8 ]: f- `( t5 m1 n
e4 j7 o$ }, [4 r& x8 f+ LThe 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.% r8 w4 m3 f( |3 F2 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.
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9 V$ V# T' y/ v9 x5 M% UBurleton 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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. o" I5 |9 m+ S& [5 eWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.( T% c2 H- s6 y0 `$ f
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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.- I( h5 p& s4 N1 S
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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.1 P) c1 n+ T; ~$ @
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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., x" t+ s- a2 u$ V3 O
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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.4 L' w2 f2 H& [" Q
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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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) ?& r6 Y( S+ C- g0 ~ d"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.: n0 _/ M: ]% K3 I" C6 y" h
' g* e% H( u' c. } v+ T5 Z7 ~"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.; i4 n: c* x% f# t0 e
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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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