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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.0 Q, m; j$ O1 ~/ } Y* S4 U
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html# M; |0 Z: A: b0 B
) c' _" S* k( S% ~' N6 zOTTAWA - 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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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.- |! Y- k2 z: d5 A+ y* l( u3 g) {+ B
1 J6 U* V0 u2 f. TIn 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 $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.' r2 b/ \* H3 S
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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' h# i4 [8 k8 }% F- z8 e"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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% i- d+ B H+ J- d$ ~( G) SThe 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.
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' J3 q5 E; \, r, \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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$ y( Z; a8 I6 f4 \* @( m% D( ?"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 {& a& g( k/ I. ]' h6 j6 ^" GWhile 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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7 E& J) E/ t7 s+ u5 U QWith 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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/ _! `( k7 f( k- M" wAnd 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., Y3 G3 N! M1 P# Z6 T5 E
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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.) E0 ^; m4 r1 K8 g. u1 _( e; X3 H6 o
) w" D% P! P% ^$ R; E9 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.1 U! D6 q7 o( T
1 r1 k8 I9 @0 m2 HThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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+ M' S3 m+ |# @% Y! vDavid 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.! _7 M4 B* a6 b& h4 ?, H
& `, O3 |# |& G+ w) Y"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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2 B8 M+ o& l8 A, o G K! HThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.$ b0 B" x+ I2 S- e- _' V0 [
9 U: K% ]" s% K1 p7 X G# w5 tBut 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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