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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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OTTAWA - 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.; k; R' O- h! L( `) e2 e
! C5 a1 p6 \ P8 H- @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.: k) m+ B2 d0 r% `4 L- ~) l
) j6 W; ]! W" G e% B5 cIn 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., }6 A! `2 M# P; O ^+ I
( y9 [( g; P- f/ XWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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" D# T( t/ J h* T" o7 p& f: tAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.1 L! ?- x5 z( `9 Z0 h7 b4 L f
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.. {2 h1 S+ n! S# Z7 V, k! F1 m* W, D
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.7 x. V* z& O7 E: |, U, }' _* b; Z
1 q. n( b- j, h3 U0 ?0 V( q% hThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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1 D f) I& ]% f2 X) F: m$ cBurleton knows how they feel.8 k% | d$ C. U$ c% k* L: T7 o4 B0 W. U& ?
) \+ f* @' Z5 M& C3 r/ _% Y"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 G) d) G! R/ [( j5 G0 v, g
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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.+ }9 B5 S3 D& Z M+ c0 f9 O
; T; i' b. Z; ]1 L) Q7 ^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.
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) I/ I; z: ?5 Z6 I c% ?5 c& FIn 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. a3 }4 ^1 _6 t8 w0 O' U Q
( Y6 Y: ]7 d* l# [& \( DThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.8 [% V, S( h7 P, ~* h( U, m
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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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"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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& w7 Z' `! P+ M; jBut 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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