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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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1 d8 p: t0 m% }+ \: ^* MOTTAWA - 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.: K8 i$ H- F/ l; g9 _8 k/ n: ?0 I5 p# [; m
. K! u- j% v. H, S% @. Y' ~" @# kIn 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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& M2 K2 e% t& E8 R, TWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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5 p' H8 F, ]" R5 `7 B# ^/ i6 I# rAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.9 \/ o, Z1 V+ j1 N. x5 m4 X# @3 X
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.5 K7 E' z# e& X. v% \8 _& z D% M
/ b& e$ _0 n, zOf 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 v. M3 H" q
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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6 ]( A" |1 @1 C- }" o2 |2 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 k# u+ w9 ~1 P3 t% }2 [
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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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% \! {5 J9 o/ o$ ~& U! |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.# C! \( t# \+ w; M: m- l' k: p: z
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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.6 K8 `! g' S x! N, I
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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.
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& z+ \( P b( H7 K7 ZMeanwhile, 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.+ r( g* g8 B+ Y2 \ m* _2 h; p/ `
% } p! W: r7 _) H1 MThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.9 N8 [& I6 U+ X
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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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"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.# }; y1 \* a _, }1 P; F
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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."9 G: F/ V& J0 f; d/ [0 v
8 d; I( C F* tThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 i' f$ n) h* u s( c2 t. y' Z: E
' u+ v- @! i$ M7 c3 T) V! hBut 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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