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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* E' U0 A( h5 ^
% ?- ^# L) U& cOTTAWA - 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." l& j8 t1 h4 L
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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 C! H5 k& G+ n2 R( f9 P
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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.' c5 ?0 A* Q$ p5 {
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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: X& T5 e4 g/ y$ w: S& qAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.+ S% J) n6 D1 i; {: }0 U
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.8 o8 X# c8 \' r" t
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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6 \' | r1 Z$ N5 F4 Z8 x3 |"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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B" r* W" O1 d/ O- wWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.9 b* q, @$ e) K- a( ~$ c
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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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) f+ [6 G3 H; d$ sAnd 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.( L, K% v( l, ^$ h4 H( ^6 x+ S
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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.* b& e5 F# }- g! k3 t; _
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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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 |1 l+ G' o) m4 n \+ e
8 s& u+ O1 S* B9 ~( lDavid 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. U; j# V3 n1 F1 b9 {- K( S7 ^
, a7 v4 j8 t( v$ f0 D( a"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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9 q5 t% h" A8 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."9 ~( }1 r2 H, l! {* T
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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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! s4 Q4 E& t0 O( P4 e C# _* oBut 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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