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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.2 X6 `4 g! u8 U6 K! K! j
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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.) o6 j9 \9 ?' c9 g* v/ t
! L" ^& {1 ^+ g1 I" _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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. k* z6 y( e4 L7 @5 n3 Z! HIn 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.3 o+ G* h( X1 x# `( G
* F7 m6 T0 \+ ]5 S. ~Why might it be a good time to sell?; t7 m7 y" d. h2 [
- W; X! ^# }" |8 Y& e% W1 fAt 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.
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' t# L) Q0 m: h. d0 K"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.3 O' I- l- \8 X# }, Z* O
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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.
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% N, t; O3 d3 Y9 S. L+ h7 o& ~9 {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./ q' n% n- j' [( o/ y/ H
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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, z" l2 P0 ?4 i! q" b% D- Z, B"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.
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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.: J3 |* m1 ]+ {
+ ~: c* d S! N4 ?3 a# OIn 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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/ i$ u k! ?) ?6 T* |" i3 ]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.! C$ P1 P3 f& @6 B
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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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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., Z' {- I+ ^$ y4 I6 G
# c9 G: r' j# |+ I B7 l/ _"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.6 U: z; h' u+ J6 d3 }; w3 }- @) K% t
" f1 K0 W7 }- \- y" I; q6 q1 `2 b"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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& a2 c2 g2 l5 k2 i# QThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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- {7 T6 Q& u/ M, z9 GBut 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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