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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# `6 x2 i! ?' ], x7 A- u8 K
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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.& q0 H# @7 r8 c3 c! D
3 J/ M9 I( ~; P4 W Q! j/ yIn 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.; A2 A( _& r$ y7 M; P% k
' O4 G3 T( `: P7 _, [, |) VWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* h+ e/ W5 L- x5 r
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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7 C7 k" f& W+ p* s# g1 \"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.- v0 e8 R( u8 X4 _& b2 X) v% Q
4 ]8 K6 F7 W/ P0 SThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.- j1 Z2 k5 q3 G& x- J7 t& n
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Burleton knows how they feel.0 [& q b/ c4 ?2 S6 c
8 L# {( s) s% `: }! @/ M$ }"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.' l, L0 E3 i$ w2 }6 D% ~
- z1 `$ h# E6 V) n% MWhile 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.
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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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5 d5 \4 O3 U5 I) _2 rIn 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, m9 \7 I9 G& V9 x- x- U
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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.' Q- }2 F, p6 q3 N) g* G4 y1 y
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.3 N2 y) e. j V9 I; U' }
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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.( q" u( d, i3 o% 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.
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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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3 F. E8 M1 }2 O8 kThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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. d ]& C& w3 o3 ^2 q# M, j 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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