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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- ~: ]/ `1 z: H
/ Q- C. F! h0 @( K4 w. C1 i4 xOTTAWA - 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.+ f) ]/ c2 g0 ?& V4 ~
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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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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.& D( @5 ^9 F/ ~5 k X7 I# h
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Why might it be a good time to sell?; ^% F" s3 R8 J( }# M. k
1 a0 a0 x' T8 r5 |1 d3 h+ ^- xAt 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.) |5 [! M, C7 G* x( N- g
+ \( f# f' K. v5 e"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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+ ~6 K# y1 T8 @! q1 ^, E6 s8 J/ iThe 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.* X5 o' n& G" S
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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.9 @% L6 ] N( t
7 t% k. G$ {" F( `Burleton knows how they feel.' I9 P) f! V5 j2 T( ~
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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.7 H) v4 O, n% j( L& |& { Z: o
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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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% h. f' j9 u k3 e NWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.( s/ }& O- D; {
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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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& A( ~% t7 F LIn 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.$ R3 W9 L& C# x$ v! K( N) u1 s9 Y
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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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: J1 |- G: y/ p3 L! T. `That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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7 }5 ~3 l8 @) d t( e! m3 nDavid 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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2 s- n* W0 ?5 z/ p8 _( N( }' A"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."/ G' L6 `: E4 r$ C5 T4 i& a0 v
4 S7 P4 {; n. wThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ n/ n" Y2 p* q- |0 k
; B* q' O0 C6 B9 }6 uBut 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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