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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$ x7 k5 m, \1 T, Q: @( t
( I+ n) W( N* l* c% QOTTAWA - 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.4 [6 |! j9 a- f$ _. h$ `9 c
$ R/ Y7 S& S7 [: zIn 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.: d1 Z7 E7 v" H7 ~
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Why might it be a good time to sell?) O+ ~/ z$ P) y0 ]. ?; K) w/ t
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.& a( F* Z2 n' a8 A( i9 a5 c
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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q! P0 O% H# a# k9 _7 W"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.! ?9 Q M* b5 H* B& d" B
3 }6 p# {4 P0 C! `The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.2 q; M% C0 ?% \, J0 a I
1 s, w* ^1 J3 o0 w; y+ v. G6 uOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.' w& A6 g- e+ ?! f4 V: \
) ]- L+ v$ ?* {$ ^Burleton knows how they feel.6 R9 A- _: g0 I- A+ c
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"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.( v0 @ b# e! o1 Y) ]: k, x
) M3 u8 Q. q. \" Z" _1 i2 H# B% H0 vWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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- C+ f# M2 @7 D' @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.% X7 H M& |% a }3 z# b
% V; W* ]6 J1 _2 ]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.
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+ N" J, u& Y. n1 [" ~7 }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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.' D& }( h# `; p4 O2 }, M# d
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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.$ Y( H# q! F" D4 Z$ Z1 U
4 v0 K# c3 {' |- q2 Y- {' T"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.8 y1 {3 R) \0 ?' ~8 p
4 E! C# ?1 X! f0 d {"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.", C; M5 k: X. B2 f7 r; L; X/ 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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3 z t4 u" T9 w* q& YBut 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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