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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- `* V! W+ m3 Y4 T. R$ ?
* o E X* Y. Y6 O- I6 E/ ]; l$ QOTTAWA - 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." q7 z1 B3 r, W9 C3 }
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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.: m7 T1 I4 s5 H7 B: w( f% j$ e
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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.0 v1 G1 ]+ F# H
& r. F+ C) ^2 q2 `8 u: O" }Why might it be a good time to sell?' H% b0 \! \) z+ V5 l6 S
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." w& j; E& S8 @: D6 G7 J
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.1 _9 t1 T' Y: o: B3 v r: B( @4 S; Q
; M. O$ b+ W9 _! j( d: XThe 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.0 p: H9 H' W% t9 Z; G" m
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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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6 G$ ^. I; n7 {# C. ^Burleton knows how they feel.& M8 r. q. l9 \
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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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% G6 V. a5 y1 H' p# v4 GWhile 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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6 S2 q# Q2 d" A6 x: ~1 nWith 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.0 j Y" \3 ^' |- E
5 w3 V8 r# D0 u, {$ I6 p+ [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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: @( B, v. a9 Y, X. 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.( a8 K/ \ Y% s; ^5 F, w
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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3 }* x* f4 l5 z$ M9 H2 t* m' p. N0 rDavid 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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"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."7 i/ m( O1 X1 C' g: m9 S
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.6 n [& v) Y: D' m
; I+ O8 Z1 L1 g" s$ zBut 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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