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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.1 B% ~2 C& e+ V
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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./ y: j2 {, ~. k8 c
4 b; k) q2 }" p" {* N. hPeople 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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In 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." K7 t7 A5 d2 f+ K! W
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Why might it be a good time to sell?' O& h& ?% [! m. ?& f( f# s
% ?" [- o" t" i8 oAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.. m, i2 q+ x" u3 W/ Z; z3 Q
1 P" e' r: c# N# ~' ?" Y, G Y"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.3 [- W& o* b* j* x, o5 D( g
0 m |) [3 B1 n) z/ |"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.( ~% Z1 i. i" b8 Z. |2 d6 E) u& v5 i* f
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Burleton knows how they feel.$ f7 } }1 ]9 ]3 d" Q' B
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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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0 O' [6 `) r( n/ \3 M& o* I3 ^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.* U" G5 ~ k- Z: E" y
' O" R8 D4 z! {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.0 L$ w0 U9 d: Z" m
3 c) U4 \5 r) 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.0 t2 F0 X4 ^, T' b9 f& N5 g
8 w: E5 {, h6 V! c. g9 wIn 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.1 E. @/ H& _& o& f) C
8 @" X7 V* t1 ?! eMeanwhile, 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.( W% {3 e& D3 |
! S5 q- ^$ r& I! e% R# V$ hThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.0 |+ D% w' T% U: ^8 Y
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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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# _* c6 w6 K- T"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.". L' i+ ]8 J6 s5 l& U5 N
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ m& E7 e3 k9 [# N5 o2 {& p
* I% y {8 O7 PBut 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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