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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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8 ?0 e) Z7 h; c$ {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.3 H9 `$ L; `$ q
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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.
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! G/ @4 w5 [/ a0 L, HIn 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) r( m5 ?- H% M/ a' d
6 h5 e+ G& J% T4 P! a: e" mWhy might it be a good time to sell?6 Y% w7 G9 {" R' ~
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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2 T7 u3 w, l4 K- u! v5 c, U( K"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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7 d; W+ C4 p. `! q* o"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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; l; i* s$ N) G$ z5 v' q8 R+ IThe 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.: n. q- F3 g1 H: ^+ L" f% u
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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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( a3 e+ D" x) q$ Y9 EBurleton 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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6 ?' e& Q- f2 a+ _; nWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.* Z5 q g/ U8 {" X+ b+ Z
1 ]( j y m; {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., R* T2 k. n! L* {
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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.8 T* V3 D. N. T) s! X0 _0 H# G
3 c& X6 f% O7 q7 u8 X3 i. s% i0 ~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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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.0 ^$ o, L/ u( L/ ?# l5 V c
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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.
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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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; V- R* X) m$ 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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# e+ c6 K' }: E) O2 i7 ]2 RThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.) Q2 z, M, r3 g; _
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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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