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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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/ e5 e' u/ V; R1 a8 o$ f7 [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./ ^9 Z+ c' U2 W; f. y' u
z2 q3 j8 b1 [6 u! r# EPeople 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., V8 f+ U' Y- k' b& P' ^
6 Q+ H2 D4 @; B7 yWhy might it be a good time to sell?; y% _* h8 z: t. |- [8 m
( q7 S8 V+ Q$ s* Q" gAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.2 q/ p3 @7 K* B" _6 z2 k8 E$ x
2 Z) \4 o. N E$ |5 u1 q"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.3 b0 ^4 y) [8 s, l" G. \
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop./ l. D3 [3 |" i! G0 S; f
. ]3 r( i% n7 w4 ?: e z( A, EThe 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.6 E& A' l4 f F; T# f/ i2 N
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Burleton knows how they feel.( I ~: h0 H) K* k
) v" z9 j( I0 h! z( L! k"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.; U/ a5 W: ^& K8 W" _" D( R) j
4 O! Q2 p# M1 ~6 L! BWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.- ?6 C: ~& o( {2 C# X
* C( l( e5 r. X. O( B4 SAnd 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.: d" c8 a7 w3 K8 A3 I/ u- R
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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.1 r* B9 U0 y" |, h- B# B& }
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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.) [& X# q" H* V. m
7 {# D" F ]6 c, {That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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/ t$ i, i5 f2 p3 S& bDavid 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.0 E7 X* s+ P) m% c
, G/ l; K: {0 Q, x- O8 {( P( C) 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.
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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."* b& j. `% g7 y- G+ p# E* r- h7 {# r
. G+ D1 o6 f, A: T9 iThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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. W3 n1 r4 i( x9 q: z* _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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