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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.. j& \/ V6 a$ |- N( @! q
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html6 a5 B- i1 i# u5 _! k
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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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" Z/ h( t) F. o$ s: ^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.
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J9 H9 y0 r) F8 R7 RIn 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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1 G1 Q+ H% ?, ~, `! IWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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* u. v. l0 n5 d. |, E. 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.9 q# |# c; a, S& D3 M
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! D* C- C2 ]3 R9 {9 b' p* o
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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.# f# L w5 t. Y/ A; I0 |
. E7 W- Y1 k1 b/ w0 ~! 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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' B y9 @& {0 Z, [Burleton knows how they feel.
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0 Y. w/ ]: j G: E; m"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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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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: l. o4 u: q2 n* `3 q9 C7 SWith 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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E9 P: B2 @: c4 [7 J3 C- h6 JAnd 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.- v6 ]7 F6 h7 n! E9 c# z
5 C9 K( Q% ~* N% r; Q Y1 n: `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.1 j) N0 x1 Q; p) Q
4 T2 _9 J. Y& G9 d8 D8 WMeanwhile, 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.& ]" r M" U3 ~1 m8 e
" ^ J# b6 X) xDavid 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: b4 e; z. {9 J
* @9 v( z! z$ r* R6 c: c9 t- U"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."
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: _6 n0 v+ l+ [( Y6 S# C7 O0 EThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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/ F3 ]6 x5 D! o- t$ n9 K- r; pBut 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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