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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.. `, I. n; [& o) u
9 B4 d4 T9 Q" `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.2 \% H0 O% J& p
) v; l* P. Q8 F' kPeople 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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( e# N7 |1 W6 [! u4 L/ AIn 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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; n, ]/ m4 e+ y0 iWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.+ w. s. i2 o9 h) d( H
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( k' n7 D) P3 V1 K2 N/ {5 F+ Q3 O
! D& J3 F! [ a* Z" D; tThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.) p7 q! Z/ d/ B/ K. ]$ o
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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.$ R6 L. G" c% U3 z9 R6 [& v2 Z0 s5 y
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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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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.0 F% k) I0 C! ?, S A& j
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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.; I3 J% N( }2 k* K+ \
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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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$ i W) O! ^8 s8 ]3 ^+ C; DMeanwhile, 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.5 z' \4 W" O- p5 I; {8 j
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- h- E/ T" P3 N& l: B9 E
! }4 ~* L7 i) f @! O* R) B' I" SDavid 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.1 Q" ^/ _3 U; |9 z
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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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1 r! m: P( n3 B6 s2 ]- D1 Z"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.", C( v, o3 E$ b* r v& B
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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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/ k! A( k: e' sBut 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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