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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
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. w( y1 j% B# \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.
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9 v: x6 S" j6 |9 q2 ^/ iPeople 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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4 @0 y$ Q$ _- O5 z' j( wIn 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.) I$ [$ l3 q p3 b, f
2 f* G' w; p/ z w9 QWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.5 k0 p8 K$ p1 _% }9 i
& y' @, f% M3 e+ c+ v: X7 ?) E" ]/ S"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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& b% @9 I1 @( ?# ^ L5 a' a' j"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.5 ^. O+ Q3 ^7 o
7 o2 L: f F5 X$ d0 a8 Z" N# Q1 rThe 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.$ ?. S( e+ F B
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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.
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$ g. ]/ a7 e; {* P, }/ `) KBurleton knows how they feel.
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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.6 O% v, U& r, T3 }# j
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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.
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, f6 D( Z; d' wWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.: w: [, Y' k, w
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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.1 `- e/ {0 y$ K7 h6 R
; d/ a$ {" r9 u7 `/ UIn 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.+ G( X6 S( y1 [' n) ]
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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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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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.9 n) Z: c7 H/ K' J) K
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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.9 `) Z5 Y3 D' F1 u
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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."7 y8 m' {1 x- M0 ? Y2 |
( h2 {* d/ O3 D% }. ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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/ q% J6 j0 [: y+ dBut 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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