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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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6 |- j* d* r, JOTTAWA - 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.) W, b- C3 L4 S, k
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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.4 ]- Y8 `7 H6 g L0 m% M
1 l9 V2 Z! V& S1 S |4 e, XIn 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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Why might it be a good time to sell?: j9 c3 e8 Q6 b* h8 F
0 u- i' ^2 E R1 KAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank." Y/ c) V7 N; x( h
3 L' K4 |/ ~& r4 Y2 J7 [2 K"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop./ m9 L* k$ J* \; F& ? k
2 q+ _% P; }7 ?) F0 a+ wThe 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.3 C3 I/ t- S% `$ \' X9 I) t
# h% }" _) f( p. WOf 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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* v2 E7 ?, K. @8 ?Burleton knows how they feel.& v1 f. Q) m) i
0 U* y1 C% W( ?2 q* }"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.1 p4 B* a) v5 P; B# a/ L- c/ q
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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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! z8 K# O# O0 pWith 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./ ~ l# J( p- U6 k0 Q/ q. X- i
/ _2 T* C! ?& fIn 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.. M& X) S% I3 x5 `# A/ k
0 w8 t/ e- ~! X7 v% d/ KMeanwhile, 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.$ T- d0 b" H h6 {8 Z
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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.
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a* h+ A- o, R. m9 X4 g"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."& i$ D+ P* e9 Q3 d5 }5 a
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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$ d5 Q7 ^$ f6 |2 |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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