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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.' _) d/ O5 r' D$ W
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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.
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5 t) m7 Y2 f; Z7 q) ZPeople 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. ?9 U( T6 ]( U+ X0 P6 C
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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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% f& H. b# X/ M& J) f' r) b! S, ZWhy might it be a good time to sell?! t2 q& M0 z% `4 K1 }
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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.: p) g/ ?1 u6 e) E6 X
5 m* U5 G( `9 U, _. r"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.
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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.9 J3 j3 K4 G4 ]9 M" P, C* Y
9 E; O9 @) ~2 F/ \) jOf 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.* p7 x9 e: q+ K* ]
7 Y. U* g% u9 m) s9 }6 o, SBurleton knows how they feel.
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: T( h, i' ^' i- z( \# n4 P, T$ }"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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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.. l# L a/ z# t- M
2 B/ I: r7 `6 C( g% w3 C7 j+ hWith 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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) {7 ?' G0 I' m+ GAnd 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.
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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.
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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.1 y8 ]/ k* |1 Y* E: y
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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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+ L' M9 n0 `$ rDavid 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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* Q- f4 g1 K3 i, S p$ l( `' Z! ^2 b- w' `"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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/ e5 }/ e' g+ z$ {"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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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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