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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.: V2 B+ H5 X) m& B" ]
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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) k' v$ c) l. h; `+ w% JOTTAWA - 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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5 Y& A* v0 M5 I0 sPeople 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.$ C8 |0 J/ j1 n! I8 W3 c1 ?
' y0 F4 }: ]& i" G) B, R3 G. c eIn 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?/ _. U2 S2 c: I6 J
* \! h% A8 ?9 P. n* dAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets. o+ M: m9 Q. m0 j( m
- z4 g3 C! X q3 F2 n8 \ s"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.' W2 m$ B: q! _4 [% f4 I1 }
7 B( M2 ~. |- r( o( l( g"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop., \0 Z+ x; e ~7 _; R) P6 ]
/ j8 @: J7 d( b. h/ @7 GThe 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.8 B) y1 V2 L7 p! o. c1 S, U- K, 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." l7 h) |7 d# c% T) }
# a( }$ R" W3 {5 X# {. n6 iBurleton knows how they feel.
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1 X: l" _: p; P' \, f"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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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.6 t" j. v) u' P( {' u; Y
, U0 Y' S5 d" W/ `) R: o2 @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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( i4 {( t' p# t) c4 p" d) _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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6 |6 v/ }% }- U. X: lMeanwhile, 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.7 D' ^5 m- F1 H/ h
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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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# ^ U7 A3 Z# m5 a V% ^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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* P* \9 B& X) s+ ["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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& `' J- A( z9 s; b# C) p"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."% C) L1 A1 k E# M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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+ h1 T- L3 s4 NBut 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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