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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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4 q" `* Z. @9 U1 d$ r" t% \8 e# 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.2 T; j: J1 _2 I7 V6 D# v
5 |: q) ~- W A9 v- e! ?) k5 BPeople 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.$ s2 j3 r p0 j: i! | ]
( M% u& G1 c2 C* K0 hIn 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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" u% z. c) w3 V" _Why might it be a good time to sell?9 m$ k0 A+ E0 G- n
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.* C! e- ]" w7 a
) p* T& {. M& n4 u+ ~6 {"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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. _+ U- F1 m+ B6 \& S"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.+ P* F2 Y6 g9 _$ m' o/ B. h
9 E( S" g+ V$ w+ ~# A5 ^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.6 d4 e% t6 K" k1 L
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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.; i7 {* K( p+ G1 T
4 g! k) g1 b: v6 y; x$ `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.1 E! }$ b' b1 v& X+ M0 J( m/ i
" ?9 i0 E+ ?- C2 IWith 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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+ S1 P3 K( A5 W7 d& {( zAnd 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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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.7 }& u1 M) m; e4 l
' }% B# w# i+ VMeanwhile, 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.# x3 Q9 I5 i9 A% ^
5 W1 Q9 |$ n4 ]* U6 v( i4 S8 P: _: ~4 TThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying., Z* n; x3 p- {$ M# D' g) a
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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.2 X& ]! K1 o/ B% i# `) c
0 j& A. U% ], Y& r. ~) b m2 Q3 F"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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K5 y. o$ u$ sThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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9 L/ G$ `) y$ i& r! O! 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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