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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.html9 Y2 p$ ?) ~- B- Q# d( I$ t
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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.# D- y+ R* @% c$ j9 ^
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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.0 w0 i! ^" Y( p# g$ K. S K; O
! k6 A% F$ K) R. g: L/ {; J# jIn 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.) {* l9 m8 M T
- H* J# u( P$ Z6 D, ]- ?Why might it be a good time to sell?& C, ^& @$ W( ?& x, Z0 \2 _6 p
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.5 s6 a+ H! p1 |1 }
+ }- Z9 g, L$ {% o7 D1 s: m"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.) H3 R& @, A# g( I3 C b
( H0 D2 G; p0 M* W8 ^' R& G- \1 L"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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, U' J% s/ _' k* u' c5 X7 p' MOf 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.5 a; O; E4 g! l6 X4 S
- h- S! n; F* |: G, |2 f, z mBurleton knows how they feel.) W% G6 n. q9 c% {
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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.. O, u2 J _( ~) d$ d N, N
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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.( D8 `5 q0 C7 d! Z
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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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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.# w& P0 p# }: F2 m3 | b
6 z! c: L5 n( w P4 t$ r ?, P1 UIn 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.- k; p, o& D6 _/ R2 R
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.2 a6 K# e3 `1 q) F
5 d; L0 X$ G9 s4 oDavid 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./ b x1 |7 R& \7 l1 Y1 U% w* i7 Z
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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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"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."! }; K+ m3 Q# d/ ~: V
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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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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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