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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# `3 _; E0 A8 N$ x6 o
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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" P! |) K2 e+ z* z6 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.
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' p- A; g9 N; y7 d7 EPeople 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.+ M$ B2 o: Z- Y% o3 v9 q
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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.9 L6 F% k7 U5 G+ O; K8 X
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. A H, w+ o2 u5 C& d# t. _
4 z" K9 _; c! s: g1 ^, M"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.# a- i: u* T$ |5 I, r
5 v+ h, p& m7 K" S0 I; j: zThe 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.
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9 Q% R1 J+ P- c2 w# j. \8 UOf 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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' y6 n( y9 l$ Z+ B9 X5 p$ \Burleton knows how they feel.3 }% Y% I7 a+ \6 V! w2 b
/ ]3 Y. g' f6 ^5 J% t"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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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.
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) l. J! q V5 c9 j) C" H; xWith 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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: Y, @0 z, F4 Y9 e$ H& O* r& tAnd 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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) ?& o J( e+ _, N. z, V BIn 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., ^, U8 M' P+ _, p6 G2 M
5 J' O, {- j: k4 D4 K6 z" \8 rMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.: B5 g0 G, t' C$ l) q
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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.6 r: J. b u3 S# X- E/ w
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"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.+ m9 s3 s5 U' y$ t' T1 }
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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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& k' }* e+ s( v' \ S1 sThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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7 Q/ b8 x% }9 [, h: xBut 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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