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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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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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" r; x7 U8 [$ Y$ G( ^0 U( vPeople 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.5 X% A- r) K* `, G5 ?, @! O
* O0 O( ]6 ~0 X0 O- H; cIn 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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4 w8 C/ F/ [2 L% n4 oWhy might it be a good time to sell?5 \5 A/ l B% Z( x0 J
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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" J! Y0 u0 y, ]# }( s- K"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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( K" c8 w7 }5 l" ~; B& tOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.2 {0 j" G1 ]3 a6 u+ N% r1 v# j
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Burleton knows how they feel.9 }: x! u7 S+ Q! K7 {
* A- p( [) L2 ]7 K+ Q"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.) n; s* w$ G( _# Z* r
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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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0 a6 d1 z% P& L) o* JWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.* j6 e' [# M. x- e, I# A, ]) O
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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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8 r5 G2 _; ~8 m0 c. P+ I- \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., V. b7 `! [) s
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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.4 Z* L# t* N4 c7 r6 Y; _$ C8 J# ~
& l& m& b! c: \4 ~$ h& O8 a0 k8 DThat 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.
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4 P [2 |" M- N* R"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."
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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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) W' i. y- P: T5 U) c6 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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