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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
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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.; M/ W: G e9 b2 C6 ^7 J
( z) U8 w+ ^2 [/ \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.7 W: n8 ]' Z: S; y1 r& n4 t
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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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.+ ~, j$ { l/ A* e) W3 ?
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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.: X* W* b. k) @8 E h
( s7 Q1 {* u: W, n2 ]0 Q# ~"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.% E0 C- w/ V! y. @
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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.2 O: }! r4 U$ |0 L( z! T; K
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Burleton knows how they feel.3 q1 q. h) ?* b$ I0 a, e; J
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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. O6 c) v5 ~9 z _1 A; A7 C
8 t z6 d3 Q3 c! R/ _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. P) F/ @" C) _. K5 E( ~# w& f
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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.: `1 ^+ \/ Y7 n) f! T* f# Y! x4 N' m
2 _, x' T' L4 Y `# P0 o$ d3 }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., x+ [7 E# h! L4 Q( K) r2 B6 [
& a. A$ C/ c% V4 S' r. ]( wMeanwhile, 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.0 V: ?5 ^. t" P% U$ w4 }
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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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( v9 O9 K: _) l4 I$ F! W4 ]# r _: QDavid 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.! r3 R, A T# J1 Z/ i* y
' H f& r% Y4 W" s( f6 B2 F4 d+ c# ~"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.! S1 v/ |4 r7 I1 B0 z; V) ]
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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.0 s: E+ F5 T* s5 |
# ~1 o" @* \- _' F0 {( o5 B3 h) q1 r' jBut 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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