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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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, V/ K m* Y5 V( O" i( LOTTAWA - 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.) I# V4 q9 {( C: h& s' ~4 w% O, B
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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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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.
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) a* Q; T( A% I# TWhy might it be a good time to sell?- V& }. g8 F1 W- a: q1 w
2 n% l0 o5 W# u( x X4 O" T9 QAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 ?' J5 L6 q. G$ l* c
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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.5 N2 [, X- ^0 N) @
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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, f3 s2 |6 C! A6 I/ g OThe 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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3 Y6 b; G' m2 h1 t& n( ["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.6 E( k& { r$ }0 }* W
* b8 X2 @/ ~& E" z+ v ~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.1 t9 h, x8 b5 g F2 D- @' B |
z' O+ o A8 @6 c; Q, Q" pWith 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.' M9 G5 Z5 [0 K
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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.- d$ Y& _% g$ P2 X0 k
: M$ W$ @. o, |: E; A; VMeanwhile, 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.: l7 m& p( M' X; T
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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 I9 d5 w) s. l# X4 `4 t
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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./ {, @ J9 I* ^, k' z. }& n
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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."- Z0 T1 x6 L1 S& Q# ~
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.$ H: A/ f7 L# o; U B
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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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