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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.6 p* x4 e2 |8 P5 Z
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html8 a& B/ z0 L( \9 w0 ], @8 j) L( T
) E4 a% o7 M$ H7 g fOTTAWA - 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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2 ^7 U) N! q. |0 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." p7 P& B e! b
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Why might it be a good time to sell?, k% R! m$ w* J
: Z' I$ Z' z# h, w" kAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.9 E% c0 Z) Q; C: _& x9 k6 r
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.8 @2 u8 F. J+ `
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.. ^" i* D. ?8 f# f% i
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.# R J6 B8 J4 C4 @6 C
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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- B% E( Q$ t& g% e$ ]8 FBurleton 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.! S, p& F6 t7 J0 t( [ M! H
* \' r' ]$ V7 o( ZWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way., F! E/ ?7 o0 [ `
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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./ S4 R" T2 E) Q o
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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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; C$ k' e* f7 _1 `8 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.
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/ w; m9 t# I# ?; kMeanwhile, 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.3 j5 j) A3 E" M9 m7 L
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ ]% C5 @, r3 @2 M3 p' J
6 ?" D# Y- G( v8 M0 |. P+ VDavid 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.. t$ c2 S( X: r a
' E3 y8 K+ A* R4 e6 i* 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.
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8 ?6 k3 x! i9 x( R, l0 T"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.7 ^& d' `- D2 V' o; w/ L
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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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