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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 B+ m9 r" G! }; O/ s5 N( ~
5 k6 B" K8 Q$ e+ Z# q9 n: [2 YOTTAWA - 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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* }1 B$ l0 I: f1 t* D0 [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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9 t0 X1 D/ H6 u/ v D. 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.# ?6 a( ~9 ]* ]2 h# d' P
! O2 X; \( T1 q8 ]) |: Z4 mWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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$ g$ E6 I7 ^# |3 F" H5 [8 U+ \% B" \8 gAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.- D3 J2 r' x0 u1 r' a" U% S
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.& A( N5 y; j6 c- o2 g$ R& X) s
% J2 F! t, X5 x7 J9 s3 @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.
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: X( w0 w4 b8 o' D% O0 }* P2 zOf 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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Burleton knows how they feel.6 x2 u- \- i* q
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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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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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5 \( N6 B% y0 g: V+ R3 [8 x( dWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.5 {+ Z8 Z6 u. t! X
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And Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney warned last month he was preparing to hike rates, which along with tighter lending rules being applied by federal authorities could trigger a flight from real estate.
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+ ]+ {- g, P$ s5 m: c# s/ [" o- zIn market terms, selling a home at the peak is a way of "locking in" profits accumulated over the past decade of price appreciation — and tax free if it's the principal home.0 ]* P% _2 M$ N9 G% d
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Meanwhile, home valuations have been rising far faster than the rent they would fetch since at least 2000. Canada's home price-to-rent ratio is well above historic norms and among the highest in the advanced world.. Z" y( x5 Q& E9 m$ I
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.% {. v1 ?6 N4 \1 D x
3 Y# H2 f7 G! f* YDavid Madani of Capital Economics, who anticipates a 25 per cent price crash over the next few years, cautions that like selling stock shares, timing is always tricky.% M/ \) F3 T9 V
* _ f$ w' H! x& h"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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; M8 _) @7 k6 G$ j, @- D"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.* E& r" w" W+ t
& L7 }' e0 Y5 V5 T! OBut 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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