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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. a) G( L% D' E; f
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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.
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6 C1 @( p z0 n4 z2 I" \& QPeople 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.- [; P6 p1 s1 {& c- a* j
% S) u) M; Z4 U j# B" g8 k: S1 DIn 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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# J4 I' G" S$ G7 \0 A' |8 ?
9 N; t9 }$ q9 z2 e9 w$ N0 }# T"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.: I7 h Z7 W% N. ?. j
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.3 v" e+ }' i3 M0 F9 [% `4 D
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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.! n( L# K6 x. Y9 N. n
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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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7 @3 A0 g- E5 z' ^! H* SBurleton knows how they feel.
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% o0 A( l5 I2 I; o"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.; B1 B" n, _! f8 N3 g" z, r& p
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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.+ \/ i2 C' t/ w5 W5 R
& X9 ^) E6 f+ B: J4 H- HWith 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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{% L3 b l1 V9 E7 U* s$ P- L! f) 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.. _1 Y0 w- k, j5 J! M
2 h) b, ~- F2 S: y2 fIn 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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- Z6 x' T6 @( _) B0 S+ L+ j8 |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.) u, ~& \) g/ f$ i2 E5 o1 j- u
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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.' E) N T' s1 O$ e% @) j# F
: ?3 Z7 X2 @. `0 R0 v, _"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.2 i& V+ {) m8 l7 W- N% X6 x
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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."/ X- H8 x- t. c9 A, E
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.. \9 x4 ]9 f; |- h/ r) L
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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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