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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.* a4 o) Z1 f- l+ O3 ^3 z, O
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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; \: I1 Z+ V% `$ `- X4 jOTTAWA - 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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' t: D8 _( o3 m4 APeople 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.7 e: c# [7 z' E' X5 e. N; L4 W# H, X
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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." }) Q Y) D& ?" n* q2 I- |6 j7 r
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Why might it be a good time to sell?) f! g0 A+ ^" K. w; P: H7 z
* u/ g" l) [) P* r8 EAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.0 a9 x2 o+ \. A" m! r
& }) h: q1 b4 a7 U$ G"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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D/ k% r# J; CThe 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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' j0 `6 G3 T. t3 c ]" 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.
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]5 u0 }9 M0 b9 ^2 W; J0 a6 v" c$ BBurleton knows how they feel.
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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.; z# a1 f, p8 z- P
; M, m$ h- Q3 w6 a: X, YWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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1 X4 U7 h5 O. D: I2 vWith 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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# I, d9 J8 x* h) }' `, k/ }2 H6 XAnd 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.; D4 J+ F/ b2 D; }
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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.& O% a5 ?0 X, b. G, Y
3 F5 N9 {+ Z5 ~2 `$ ~7 Z+ nThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.5 I- ^: O. @8 G9 @" c0 E7 {; A
* D$ \1 Y' M! T$ y6 X" HDavid 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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9 ~, ~/ D4 a1 C/ u; Y7 X( A& S; \- P"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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.! [. T+ ~1 b2 H
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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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