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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.html1 T, T" @( z6 ^/ f, K' ^; x
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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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& s- g0 y4 Z# M# V( ?; SPeople 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.
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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.& q9 z2 w4 ` h7 h
: y! |3 B# w8 D$ _1 w" I$ [2 ?4 mWhy 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.) \8 r* r# Z( h3 ^# W0 T
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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.* j8 v" K# w' Q3 X2 K; J) G
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop." z+ }/ s( n/ i) Z, W# {+ e! Y9 b
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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.
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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.& j! T2 }, H& n" }9 c
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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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.
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# c, H2 [5 C6 k- b2 |- _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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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., i; w; P0 G5 ~( j7 p0 T6 c1 m
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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.
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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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$ e4 e% C0 i4 c9 C. D' C( f# [: BMeanwhile, 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.4 l! a x/ f3 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.8 i5 b9 [7 r& f# m7 u
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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.# R' E. o% Z1 v; k3 v
8 S! E" t. m4 R& t" ~"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 c9 _+ P. H; N1 w0 b
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.: _/ \% n, R1 V% K
Y" s4 `1 [+ `- X' n2 aBut 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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