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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* q: l* b4 P% B* k! _
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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3 K- }2 X1 k9 Y; Z: A, hOTTAWA - 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.% D8 b# g6 n" W" o$ t
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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?! u* x" W7 F8 k) g
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.8 Y1 X, M; e5 X( i6 S
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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0 p" W, I( C' X; d" r4 n4 c"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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& o/ w. o5 _. M( BThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower. W% c# V9 B, C m
3 m2 i5 J* ~) t& e' k, TOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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! ]+ m5 R/ G: R. u* V; r) \Burleton knows how they feel.
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: ?5 s8 Z+ s. i2 r"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.2 Z6 S: {( i: o! E8 W* s ~/ L& C
6 D9 S' C! t7 KWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.: B' |" r. j \6 m
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With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.$ F) W9 }6 g. i) L1 M) F
. h1 e& ]. T7 ?$ ^2 H, s- x4 oAnd 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.* N! o9 S- F+ K5 J
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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.( o" ~# a6 `- q* c; \# [
! n- Q* n. [+ O5 R) @* p; 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.0 U/ u) l. j1 |$ u3 k; g# P
) s) i8 o" A" H- {/ z( \, Y: iThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# j6 [ p% b. g1 {5 x, x& Z$ P
( A- }" W) X) {" g7 T. PDavid 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. O! P: L5 z x& Z2 {
9 g/ W: l( q7 C; ^) f) W9 A"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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; w9 b1 Z' z! s" }) u Z0 P"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."# H3 G0 ^- m+ l7 e- U8 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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