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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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' |; W; T' M5 D" r: f5 [- t. kOTTAWA - 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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- u9 @, e/ \7 U) JPeople 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.% g _3 X2 P0 V2 M& v
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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.
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, R" W( J4 a6 Q( T4 \3 x2 hWhy might it be a good time to sell?: |- ?! P0 N( \3 T8 ?) y
! N( ?- {( M+ \: ~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: c" J* `( e4 @
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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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! Q& c+ f0 n" e"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.' z* [5 I+ e* V, L9 t
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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. i. ]/ s6 x, _& d1 n, w
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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.
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5 ^: F) [7 i2 Q9 q7 j4 M) v: o; i4 l"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.* t; m& U! D# W+ ^& V9 |: t/ S1 f
8 \/ @' O1 o. A% L* p# {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.6 m% C9 Z* U! \) Z
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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.1 p9 Q) C6 h2 r) T4 J
$ |/ ]! @( }+ k, `& D% dAnd 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.8 [1 h) q* w+ `+ Y2 K3 Z
( V$ E9 ]3 H4 I' P/ G/ N+ J. vIn 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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. B6 O6 Q' G6 r5 v9 `4 oMeanwhile, 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.+ n+ o$ t/ t$ ^7 |6 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.
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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.
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7 d- [/ t9 V5 a' o! I/ O$ c! S"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.
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But 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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