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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: a. J6 O; ~( A* C: Q/ Q' b/ M
+ w: y( J7 d4 u0 `3 o' gOTTAWA - 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.7 I( C- f9 m* e/ f' p
3 R0 h5 @3 K' {) h- P! l. p: @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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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.- l3 J1 V u* [' G6 I1 _
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Why might it be a good time to sell? e8 E1 h# K& R; \4 h/ N
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.2 ?- P& X3 Q$ y& R$ M
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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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) G; q% @+ `& J8 ^% A: O"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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2 i9 m$ ^3 q/ GThe 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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" A1 |7 S, t& j* p% n. C: u. |% e* rBurleton knows how they feel.
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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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4 f, `4 E2 J9 QWith 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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2 Y5 R9 Z' U7 ]& ]% n/ sAnd 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.0 f( D( K' T4 A/ M& U
3 P0 ~# J2 B4 L! I" S) NIn 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./ O" g+ ^# I3 s
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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.
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$ v6 a5 d! b$ \! X5 RThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- E! D! m4 e. a% V
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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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h% \" q$ c- o"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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% V) G2 O* M3 V2 n8 x"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."4 p# O9 y( V9 Z: J
7 U. w# C7 q1 H" Z. W& w/ J) _The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.$ m+ y% K! q$ z) v4 g4 d% _& p* P
0 w! |8 n- l$ q: P. |8 c5 i6 [( hBut 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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