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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.6 w! `; M) h* J+ z6 l
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html) \/ g: v" c9 v1 h- h3 a% u
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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.4 @; s, A% \) S0 _& g# I7 i- t
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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.( F( d# D" v% r
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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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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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* K+ J7 e! L, @9 g t$ Z"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.6 Q2 f0 @( N* j$ ?7 g3 s( A/ M
V# L; p4 i5 } W* I"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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.( w/ {4 g% o" |' u* w0 i a
" P7 [* ?( P8 m9 P5 FOf 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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6 j) F5 F2 l5 z"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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9 }% |% O9 K: q* 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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: _9 I/ [: l1 b4 b$ G' d/ H8 VWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.0 s2 Q$ z; a+ r" T/ q1 E
4 B. A6 N( n" s* A4 SAnd 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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* U3 W1 G5 A9 J- @0 A0 PMeanwhile, 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.( I( d" Z1 Q" u+ V i
+ ]9 w! Z, x9 A$ TThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying." t' s. D- i& g k; @! w
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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.
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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. O- E. E6 m) i# X2 V
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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."3 n7 k* J# ~/ m; N8 w% N
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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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But 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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