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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.1 R% M3 F7 @3 d
9 p8 y( q- B( ?http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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2 G) d6 w. l* F0 R! T( N! AOTTAWA - 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.- {# z& j% h: y3 X4 v4 L
7 G& u- E+ h6 Y6 j2 s+ y1 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.
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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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$ Q$ R2 ^9 w. FWhy might it be a good time to sell?0 i4 Q1 r% n+ S# D
5 H* o. N+ v/ z/ } tAt 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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) @( ^' T- x o0 s; ~9 P"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.; q0 l( \) k4 ^" ~; u( h6 @* G! m- o( i9 }
" ^1 p; g7 v, r7 |* L2 c, ?. D& z+ N"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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- Y1 |6 F1 V" Y+ k- O$ D1 J. KThe 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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$ H K3 j; U. i/ RBurleton knows how they feel.
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9 a5 `7 {/ b M"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.9 w9 E, n- `0 j3 Q( p( f
, D `5 I T' ]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.' F. m7 G) q4 \& \ H
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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.: [) [; s0 a5 `" E8 t! M+ _
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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.8 a3 r6 V( g6 c# q, b
6 E1 P u6 A( w% v. ^3 }8 f7 {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.
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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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& c6 B- B7 A6 u7 ~) C% C! B3 D* `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.( W L, d, A3 E. ]; H
* U5 m+ K* m) V8 k" L"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."8 f1 b% {+ A, O" W
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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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