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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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@# l0 Q+ e3 |, e1 B7 _http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html- ~, Q/ ~- R2 Z! Q1 U4 ^" `/ g
4 F. w2 Z4 d' _3 S7 POTTAWA - 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.2 R/ I8 S( v! k/ I' v
) F' G* ?4 @ l" e, K. RPeople 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.- v. H2 V, U$ A; w% D/ |) N! G
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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.0 Z9 C8 S, u( P. D8 `: y
) s, }2 s0 M4 ?, s3 {Why might it be a good time to sell?. ]) z2 M% j7 Z6 ^& s9 I, q
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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.8 b4 b9 ?- r6 O8 W, ?
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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.8 Y- T/ R* a3 T7 n3 a9 h9 c% |
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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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3 `# o- h3 d+ z3 LThe 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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& f6 ~9 u% d: sBurleton knows how they feel.( z/ a+ W1 H' d! A; f% ?
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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.
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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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1 \1 |2 Z/ }" cAnd 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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) ~+ O! u. N4 q, E/ V' ]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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3 v* k" w! m; V* x5 E) OThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.: z: U2 B% W! j- i: d6 E/ }! y: i
C* C$ U5 Z" I; Q0 vDavid 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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: ~) X5 j: ^6 |) R- S' e- k"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."9 w; b. Q3 i1 |5 k, G
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ b+ \5 p; N: R- f; [/ l" k4 [- [5 o) h) R
0 B. ]; Y' |7 I: i- O. a! KBut 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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