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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.. D: C4 P3 P! }5 v% W
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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( V* G5 ?0 p. e! m y7 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.# Z/ {) O2 `5 S. o% L( d4 m
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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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- S+ h9 _" G6 y/ O' \0 ~; aIn 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.0 s' _" \1 p% r; `6 J
0 V& o+ M V. dWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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" j3 X! h0 l: I* J) {$ W2 Z# SAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.9 C$ h9 r5 g* e; k- V7 X
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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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" x2 \, f. Z$ ?; t+ O"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.
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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.4 K. F; \; _2 Y' P0 e9 g& i0 j
) r" [; A$ U& k( W+ ]Burleton knows how they feel.
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% n: F8 b- f0 o"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 f% C" e. S6 \" V
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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.5 o2 b5 c$ i2 R6 v7 D, C
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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.: u, S. x7 |; d' ^
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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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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.$ z+ _ f# }; Z. f0 s) K* R
* s& M. e( x4 S- KMeanwhile, 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.! A! V' s+ p3 w( y7 f) ]: T5 T; K( A A
6 p+ `# w0 A8 M: x u& JThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.- X; S2 Z" }2 J2 R
$ @: b; @" Y: J8 f, {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.+ h9 h6 d2 H B. g* X2 _8 u' |
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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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! \: h/ H! G8 o; r$ ?0 P0 |/ ^"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."6 y% q6 G- o& ~# h7 j, R$ M
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.' z" ^" L9 T% Q. j$ o& n" M& d. C
5 [$ ^1 H9 n3 }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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