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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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3 K1 k( \0 e1 J8 n2 _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./ F/ l2 M7 |# n
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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.3 i; G. c# D2 f r/ `# w. x4 l8 M
, q8 z) {4 G! r5 Q8 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.
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- c9 K1 Y4 M( N3 CWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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6 D: I" O! Z' H. x! Z"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.) R9 X9 v. u: J8 n* ~0 U# g y
" A9 h; S, z5 z2 F- f: C# C, C"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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4 D' z- t* n9 B5 e# J* Q) nThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower. _' i( @' D5 B- i" g- h! A
3 q( J" Y9 G, iOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.3 L- X# V: Z" D( k$ E d1 E
1 u/ q3 S2 U9 G2 r0 vBurleton 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.
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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.# c7 s) i8 ]. S. K+ E
- t6 }6 v& f5 B! G& ^" _1 eWith 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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1 g0 ]; z) p0 o7 K1 }: }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. d" n3 T7 E8 R3 \
+ v* y5 h- T r5 S$ |5 ?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.) [4 O' v q1 N }
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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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2 ^1 F1 [+ I0 T, V"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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.. K& K7 b. \. q3 J7 A$ H- R
( O3 k1 i/ U% S" B- BBut 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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