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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.& A0 n D+ N1 {6 F% V" `2 V* S1 p. J
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 u! h1 c% [1 o% P7 {& g
8 l" `+ `9 m# Z( K- mOTTAWA - 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.5 B& a8 i! T, U, f
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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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; p8 W( H4 m/ Y% f+ T1 R6 iIn 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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! J+ T2 |1 q8 L% n% o# AWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# h4 ^* v* T: o" x$ |& C5 w! B
% l' k9 B1 f) F) J- T o& E- G"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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 @- `- F6 w- l4 ?, O
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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.7 j7 S. E/ j3 Y+ i3 z* e" p
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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.- f6 _0 o e; j8 _
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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: w i" f" s- ^ V6 j0 b"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.$ Y5 W( L) P N( C
: z" I! E \8 t: C3 _ DWhile 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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* j+ p1 ?# U' g+ |. ]6 G1 xWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.9 D {, l% v. q# L' W6 _* L( S
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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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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.
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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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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.- F& R; `+ M0 i
5 J0 @1 Y3 B1 L& c2 r' N"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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5 J y1 z- q: X7 }"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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( R# o$ w; L( F+ d3 X3 eThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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* x0 ^1 p8 W m3 G% F/ M& HBut 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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