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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖." K5 z' a2 e! [0 {6 u2 F
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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3 v2 H: c3 F; p- k# a& dOTTAWA - 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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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.% b l( ~& j6 g; D# E# N
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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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% [; Z* E) ]8 T% E( a# w7 w7 |Why might it be a good time to sell?
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( d$ N h2 j; ^- c) R* w" y& AAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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/ b: F) x7 L6 _, `. K" U: W"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.# [/ O. E. p7 P6 C
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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: b8 _: u4 k9 E2 Q( @# mThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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; a/ D" P% W3 u/ NBurleton knows how they feel." s3 r1 R1 e/ r; s% @
" z9 \. j2 Q0 {! v0 Q: F6 @7 b$ ["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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. Q3 g* e% W9 O" n$ D& Y* X+ k' mWhile 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.
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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.+ i- I5 C7 K$ a3 _! [$ C: J
0 P5 G" H" M$ l' B+ bIn 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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5 {1 D+ b" B! O. ZMeanwhile, 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.! \) G( H" n, T6 o, Z# l, }, U
5 I8 H6 x5 u0 q IThat 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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) X( \# \& r6 g& y) x/ n8 _"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 G9 d; ], v4 [ l
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.& D3 t* k/ K: g# K
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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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