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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
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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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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. B2 r5 b2 y6 g! S$ b5 s p9 ^
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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., W k5 E. c, {5 p
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Why might it be a good time to sell?6 J' o5 y! u( ~/ l3 j- L K
n% o/ r; I5 E3 ~- L# FAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.% ^- y6 J7 L$ E. d- @* O
. v1 l) D+ g& U' b( r. P"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.4 T4 E1 t2 U( |% `1 l
* J. k2 N- h4 F$ ?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.
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x1 E' x1 p I. v' {2 \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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- F* [! w& L$ i2 S( B" dBurleton knows how they feel.' U3 ?! c; o9 _5 d
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"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.% R- d: z, Y1 `" `3 a0 h( t
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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.) R5 p5 q! u6 f! m% x# b6 w" H& M, Z: B
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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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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.' T- y6 }; n# F: A
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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." O2 D3 |. t, j. r4 [; d2 L
/ C; c0 z n: E4 H& H3 T% U" XMeanwhile, 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." I; X/ K/ Y; s0 ^; i
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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.& o( A. |; ]) N0 K/ }' P3 ^; i
( B- R( M+ k: I, n7 o"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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9 f, v' \/ j8 Z"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."- ~ }6 g. d! U* D
( \' v7 z( ^( KThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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: {# t6 v2 q0 s/ x' Q2 i4 DBut 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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