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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.) {/ M5 G) c$ C$ q) B) C4 z
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.. e3 M" g! f8 g! \! F& p' C
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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.. f) }% W) v1 `" [) `! Y( O
9 U+ D6 {7 X4 c: p/ I) a! 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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( A1 A7 w. z. E9 J# ^ @Why might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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" \1 k; X# d( y& |" S2 l"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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" `2 `+ Q" |. A; J Y" _"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 F! {) H% g! Z0 p! {$ @
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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., C2 C0 k( Q2 s: x
% H/ I( B, I. N) [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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Burleton knows how they feel.
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3 z3 i! w+ ~* b# u6 b$ H"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.+ S- W% o8 Q7 z# _# j
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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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) T6 p# h* L# F. 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.5 N) U! O4 E& I( ?0 A2 o& P
! q e/ h1 i$ Z6 T. U/ B; rAnd 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.1 @8 i+ s) m l# Y* ?
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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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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.4 [# a, C* C6 C" R3 N
$ ^! N) ?" V* M1 d% l' IThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.7 B( W( a% I* Y' J- F
3 X) W% x, |+ o& E6 S4 r* `, D nDavid 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.: X: u3 g$ f# c+ H- T+ m
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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."
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9 Q7 O4 C5 I- O4 m& W; k7 c! w2 JThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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5 q; I7 y( E. l0 G4 XBut 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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