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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.html+ j9 r; k; _0 w. |5 B- f
# U8 K! M, v/ R, E- _8 Z ~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.
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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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7 n% l6 c9 V2 n/ \: `% ~( B3 tIn 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.' W" c0 m9 s. p% O8 L8 q. n
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Why might it be a good time to sell?/ J0 x+ ^ ]7 g! ^; p1 N* A
! l5 g$ x& O" Y+ W8 kAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.+ G s. a1 ?4 t* @" U) ]7 O
# G& i3 b) ~( R% u2 M) G, o"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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& o! t$ m6 e. }2 y"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.6 r) C) } q! ~7 D4 a: w
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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.5 M6 r* ?: T M
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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.1 j0 A$ w2 Y6 ?: c2 }5 {
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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% C9 j5 i& P& W9 E; j- p"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.; K; n# U8 W( ?3 `- Q& `/ i
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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.# J0 d$ d. j0 U( s. C0 S( Q
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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.: b( Q9 k8 g, D8 ]+ ~4 |: n
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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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7 ^0 I/ b' z/ M3 I* B4 YIn 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.3 {2 _* c$ v5 L, m
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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.
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6 \% |0 R$ H% Q0 G; h8 I) a bThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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* \' u3 `1 T& l/ j+ k, f* DDavid 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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"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act." s7 N% ]0 y t6 q
! Y4 D, G3 b0 E) ^% tBut 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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