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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* Y4 ~3 `4 S; R, O
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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.1 d) Z3 Z# K x" Q3 w6 b& Z
4 o, Y/ _3 j8 c2 w- _3 j" APeople 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.' I1 p# I( `7 N' j
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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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?: q, O+ K" n4 @# m
# I( [% m1 V2 e1 {+ C: l9 w2 @At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.6 F1 U. T. |8 s" w- U8 K# }/ p+ w( z
' g6 F( k* W9 O' ~"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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& @: S7 f/ ?% [4 ]) X) F) R3 `5 G"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.% m7 d4 d% u+ b6 s8 i S7 }+ j
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.& n6 m$ U; ]7 b' o
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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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Burleton 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.
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8 L; _: F% I% \/ d" cAnd 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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) ?9 W" [3 R. @& z1 a6 J- DIn 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.
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( R1 d/ B+ i2 y3 h( lMeanwhile, 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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying. J( ~ ~8 U. N
, o8 F: S8 \; 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.3 l3 D! L7 ~& s9 p7 K
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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.: |& ]" @$ \! V9 A s! e; N. J5 ?
1 z# v8 y: \# B- n7 e9 E"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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: e( _/ `8 n+ Z3 P" aThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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) G, a% A; u: G) o$ L( A2 _ 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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