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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' z1 W+ P ?+ p6 D6 l% P, L
8 S8 |* u$ Z6 ~8 x- l5 B6 N8 oOTTAWA - 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.2 X0 Y* _% k' X/ `- J
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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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; p _' ]6 S" B2 E# m% xIn 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.1 Y* d- ?; y1 [
" \/ X! v5 S# \; ~& [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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1 Q. j( k/ a: Q- o"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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.
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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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+ _" H% E% x+ j" p8 |; gBurleton 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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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.4 N! p- q2 \" N) `* H' m3 Z
3 o. K0 T% |2 Y 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.3 Y( I% d9 U! B$ \
& {. \8 B3 k; ^' G* C1 ?- K/ ?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.) ]$ Y2 S9 h, U$ E0 K2 b. u3 Y
7 u' M6 Z7 }& X" N& |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: V4 h: }' n0 ~ F: y% b
4 }4 @5 n0 T! A# O8 ?That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.9 y, ^- R4 q# V" F* @) K
- L3 V7 V. m2 D# \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.; {3 s' }3 L# }( P+ Z
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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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+ ^& J# B" w$ K"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."! n! l6 X' ]8 [3 o
8 a5 O! ^9 D8 A$ G+ i9 ?+ vThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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