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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.0 h4 s3 m" q3 s7 C3 A
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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.5 G, N5 o2 L/ b( R4 B, H7 Q' {" x) p
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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.
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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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2 A- i6 F: B1 p3 J7 A, g6 f. zWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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* a% H9 @6 n1 K, ~- a1 G9 QAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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7 r0 P; L0 I0 N3 s- f, s7 G"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.4 n* q5 L5 s1 X
, T$ t) C4 [- y# D& S4 gOf 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. @+ n* E( m; i+ ^) I
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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/ A% ^) S0 v) f* v# q"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." J. Q \6 k( C+ q1 r: r4 M
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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.4 ?; Q6 P: |5 @+ U5 a9 S
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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., z1 \7 N4 F$ B
& X& [) A9 \1 Z; T$ S: I/ x; q3 rMeanwhile, 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.2 z1 G6 v: Z0 ?; T) H4 u
; \2 A! H% M) |5 B+ fThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; d6 x7 p8 B9 m/ A! t2 ~
, |1 e! R9 T" J, x2 e, {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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9 Y0 F0 ?3 ~- a! C; w0 B* @"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." ~+ ?! t" [5 c, I0 X6 E+ G# Y F% Z
1 s% H$ M v, B: S; H"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."- v8 S3 y- m1 I& D, o# i% Z
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.- [1 ^' I, H5 B2 N2 I" l
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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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