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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ l6 n! [- N4 C' U. E% I
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html9 t" ]/ `2 }7 t/ M" {( 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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& P$ `* ^: O6 \( Z) yPeople generally don't think of their homes as a potential pile of cash in the bank, but experts say it's something worth pondering now that home prices in Canada may have hit their peak.- N3 {& l0 p5 y$ r/ K
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In fact, analysts say if finance is the only consideration, conditions now and into next year or so form a seldom seen sweet spot for using home equity as a type of asset for investment.$ y J1 E1 Q! t( O
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Why might it be a good time to sell?' w w8 t, J5 }3 d; {- { q v7 T0 }
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 `0 \) c/ U! L i! ]) u8 v
. P# e# g+ d0 }4 @" `"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.; @2 N2 _, S; n3 V
" O. @( U# T0 q7 AThe 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.( B& k$ u g: \0 p; a7 P X0 A
' {3 y+ ?" K- ?3 j. x4 ?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.5 b6 C" v# H/ g9 c7 m/ R' n
2 @4 A& {, `; d" BBurleton knows how they feel.
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+ K" [+ I0 g3 ~7 H2 `% A0 I# X"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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" V9 N4 J( }+ B# ], G! z% X1 z4 T- [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.
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2 I7 o! ^) N1 @With 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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# x# F' B* g( FAnd 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.7 L. y0 j, e' v- Z
$ \) b5 w: _: Z* E: cThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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: {6 c' r. @. R) B7 wDavid 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.2 N8 t, i1 |8 f; ?- M5 M- |
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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.
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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."1 o6 Z+ W$ W# k' _/ v
( O+ l3 S# @1 v+ [8 E5 e4 PThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.4 z) k/ l5 F: l" q0 f
+ y& C2 `. |2 ^) G8 ~" B1 d. \- m# _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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