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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. j% S) B4 s3 x
& C e1 f. L, P4 iOTTAWA - 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.9 r% W) F! k2 f. ^. |
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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.
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) P/ l" n: A# f" a7 [; h+ VIn 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.- Z" T( N* k; y
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Why might it be a good time to sell?' J, K( ^# [( ?1 ]
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 m+ P7 \2 q% ?3 @; ~
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank. q* m! E7 r. E# q0 `& A
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower./ U& E& E( s b* s* A8 g- T
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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0 \# [* I: Z3 h5 u5 n2 vBurleton knows how they feel.$ w+ k$ ~/ a1 P8 I+ ?7 Z
8 s0 W' f5 x* i8 e4 U X4 \0 g"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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/ v; D( D( z- f; {4 vWhile 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.
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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- Z2 M: W$ |+ ~/ Y/ y7 B
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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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: W3 f+ H7 g* k7 S( A4 b; v, m7 LMeanwhile, 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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* n7 N3 V' Y; d: _3 o8 A; OThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.% r' n3 a+ w3 ^' R
% f n) T- O! n- S( i6 o) |" Y4 P/ J"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.# k3 s" ?0 H {3 y( A" g" V' s
* H f7 `( `5 \0 `$ s- a0 C3 a"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."# b6 ~& k. Z! `8 X/ M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.9 C- \% r; b ^" j
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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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