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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 v, @, u- x) f3 Y7 \6 T
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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1 G+ p( D) C# ]0 }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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% J1 } ]5 D/ B. \, k9 l! BPeople 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.
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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/ P8 Q; K) d! t& T0 lAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.$ R6 k' x/ X. q! D
3 \0 X& N* H5 [! B1 \6 e$ r" b"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 L8 ?$ N3 U9 l: Z"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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3 }, d. A V# \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.4 o# {3 s) @$ P8 m
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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 k) j7 j0 {0 @6 Y6 R
9 E2 y# B0 T) _; GBurleton knows how they feel.$ ]$ `& c& B. M+ D9 ^
7 V, H P+ e0 f& n' ]* ]" i"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.. b' f% i" v; D) i- X2 C \1 v& M8 v
$ V" Y" y; V. f3 W9 s& GWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years./ ^% N& F, I8 R
, r/ X S# \ C/ _# ZAnd 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 F6 }1 X( I% q; i
! }& z) W* ]" ~2 ?. j nIn 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." n2 {+ R& |5 T D
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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. l% e' W9 M3 Q. T* L
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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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! t; s. o" T# o3 G8 [; U; }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.
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P3 L% q# O& w+ q- e"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./ |; H5 S3 L, G$ x% H/ f
0 }5 J% ]* k$ m( V+ g"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.": h& L: o9 P4 y5 f# B0 u
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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* N4 V4 R( P v7 V7 O9 |' t1 k5 o; PBut 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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