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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.+ L% ?) x5 X/ l- p
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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% R% R( j- U) s d6 O/ L5 xOTTAWA - 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# t' o4 c, h$ Q5 c
" }& u8 K) P8 u5 z, kPeople 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.) y* x( o: w7 }2 s
8 g& u4 h5 g% g5 D5 A( k! fIn 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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% O, s) R* p0 Q6 f# z* QWhy might it be a good time to sell?8 X7 T% r5 b1 E/ B3 o' g3 z
9 g' e: J) L* D$ i; JAt 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.! @8 @( o/ z d( e. {* @
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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.6 @ ?. {' J6 ?4 z* j! ^( R
& n( l, \) ~, p( x+ m( V+ ]3 q+ ]"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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) G) @8 y( o9 S- 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.
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6 E& f, `: Z T. Q7 F) p9 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.
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6 r, \7 [4 s3 D Z* |: t {Burleton knows how they feel.8 H0 z1 Y+ H, e4 C* X
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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.5 C$ d$ a: Z. H5 N# m' M8 T
" t/ q; n1 p' u# g8 x% L9 Q1 a( W$ e8 @5 TWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.: z( Z( Q3 F3 I$ ?6 E& g
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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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1 o& N a; W: y& ~4 [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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; \# }7 o2 o+ C; a9 C# T0 \4 AIn 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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9 | w Q5 d. H1 ]8 SMeanwhile, 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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7 O1 s. I# e" Y7 ~* _: Z6 u5 TDavid 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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: a' r* A _4 p3 F" u( Y, |: }+ }5 }5 T0 L"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.. |$ y( q! Y& D0 q/ z
* Z( [" K! [# ^6 m4 S"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."3 y1 `3 `0 R7 _5 B6 r. k
9 m3 @: V' s, V% b. RThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.# ?2 C% U% P, l5 u6 A
3 T5 i( ~- B, D" I7 W: `But 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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