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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.html9 m6 _0 k. u1 V! I. I. ~
q4 Y2 r( t, o+ k6 {6 \; qOTTAWA - 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.# b+ k4 r2 {, G2 R4 P/ Z
& V5 N: O( S9 c @4 fPeople 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?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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G# `/ `7 Z( ^$ D2 ?6 m"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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# b; ]2 E/ P/ M. r" ?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.2 x# s. c2 l4 f$ M8 O% J
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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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: n# ]4 b7 ~4 M4 d- N! e% T& m6 s2 ? |Burleton 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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8 ], y# c6 a0 y1 mWhile 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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# |! b4 r6 b, N e5 mWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.( P$ i& @0 C( y1 x* I
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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.
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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.% v/ y) U% s2 M- {8 N$ 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.7 u3 n: e2 [0 }* v* @3 w' P: H; t
; V" T" ]6 t9 bDavid 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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I ]7 l2 W$ f. o) a' i1 X"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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9 j5 @$ \( L8 K n) i9 q- aThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.4 Y! @4 z$ Q9 _' V0 ?
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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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