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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.& N8 o' }; H2 z: @( l# x
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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.
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+ U7 G" G/ ^5 V0 P. MWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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; X4 x2 |! @: m# OAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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/ E& ^) y+ Q8 j+ c"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( a" M, |; j3 A( y1 e
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.4 `! M% L% x) D. h) j: t
' N2 C/ U8 s8 r4 O$ lOf 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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6 Y; T# l( o, E- [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. _0 q8 @" ` B+ E5 {
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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.
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* D* C/ h1 A7 J- C+ G# R% F* yWith 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.
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+ @; L1 J* n) `1 `. HIn 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.1 S* |/ ^) i$ v) p
6 A# ?8 m# ^# d$ {& j$ f, [2 c gMeanwhile, 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.8 I0 | N* `+ _) X
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.$ X, O# _0 P/ O) R' P
% v% E% {+ v1 ~0 C0 i+ e5 e5 lDavid 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.* r' N' Y0 U' c
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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.$ o1 K2 W) j4 O: d( {0 J
3 [4 Y1 R, ]; R"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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4 L/ ]8 K0 k4 G6 F# cThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 w, F; g0 J9 z( P& R
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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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